


The Saltwater Room

by Squirm



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Amputee Peridot (Steven Universe), Art student lapis, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Im bad at writing, Peridot has anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Short Chapters, Slow Burn, Tech student peridot, past lapis/jasper - Freeform, really slow updates sorry yall
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-05-03 01:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 30,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14558307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squirm/pseuds/Squirm
Summary: [An AU where when you write something on your skin with pen/marker/etc, it will show up on your soulmates skin as well]Lapis Lazuli is a tired art student who just wants to get through her last year of high school in peace. Peridot is forced to take art for extra credit and is prepared to have the worst year of her life. That is, until strange marks start to appear on Lapis' arm more and more regularly as the year goes on. The lingering feeling of her soulmate is close by but she refuses to acknowledge it, not after what happened the year before. Not after the Jasper Incident. Lapis has a strange feeling that all this is linked to the quiet blonde girl who sits in the back of her art class. And she's going to get to the bottom of this, even if its the last thing she does. There's something about Peridot that just doesn't seem right...[Got any questions? Want to show me something? Feel free to direct anything towards myTumblr]





	1. Act 1 - Scene 1: Dark Days

"Lapis wake up, you're going to be late!" The voice echoed down the hallway and Lapis' eyes fluttered a little but refused to open. The sound of padded footsteps on the carpeted flooring of the hallway gradually grew closer and a low creaking noise indicated someone had entered her room. More footsteps sounded and eventually a warm hand rest upon Lapis' shoulder. A small shake which did nothing in the blatant attempt to awaken her. Instead the girl groaned into her pillow and turned around so that her back was facing the perpetrator. The sound of a low sigh entered Lapis' ears and just when she thought she was victorious, the hand came back to shake her a little more violently than it had before. Lapis did all in her power to squeeze her eyes shut and ignore the looming figure who stood beside her bed, but it was trick when said figure was shaking you so hard the bed creaked dangerously as she was moved back and forth against her own will. "Get up, you don't want to be late on your first day back!"

Oh, right, that was why she was being so rudely woken up. School. With another, longer, more prominent groan, the girl opened her eyes and propped herself up on her elbows. Her stormy eyes glared up at her mother, and the woman stared back with an equal amount of ferocity in her eyes. The woman reached forward and threw a pile of washing at her daughter and left with a small huff as she shut the door. The sounds of her footsteps descending down the stairs was almost enough for Lapis to lay down and and shut her eyes once more, but the thought of her angry mother made her sit up and sort through her clothes. 

It was a cold November morning, the grey sky showed signs of rain, there was a damp smell in the air as Lapis opened her window to air out her room, and half ass attempt at waking her up a little more. She knew she had no time to shower so instead she sprayed on as much deoderent as her nose could take and moved to slip on her windbreaker. As her thin fingers wrapped around the soft fabric o the jacket, she noticed several strange lines drawn in what looked like green gel pen on her tan skin. It kind of looked like someones handwriting although she couldn't make out what it said as the words were so poorly written. Slipping on her jacket and re-entering the bathroom in the hopes of scrubbing off the weird mark, sh turned on the tap and ran it under her hand. The ink didn't come off, no matter how much she scrubbed it, and a looming thought in the back of her mind started to resurface. 

Is my soulmate doing this? was the lingering question at the surface of her mind, which quickly dissipated as another angry call from her mother broke through her thoughts like a knife through butter. She pulled her sleeve back down her slim arm and trudged down the stairs. A slice of toast was shoed into her hands, covered in a healthy coating of strawberry jam. Lapis absently took a bite out of it and walked over to the living room to gather up her stuff. Her trusty old backpack sat by the door, filled with all the necessary books and equipment she would need for this years classes along with her old sketchbooks filled to the brim with small sketches she usually liked to do during lunch or particularly boring lessons. Finishing her toast up quickly she slipped on her old worn down boots and shouldered on her bag, said goodbye to her mother and stepped outside into the crisp autumn air. 

Everything about this day was dull, it seemed. The atmosphere outside was boring and grey, people milled around the warm shops in swarms, their thick winter coats and flowing scarves a sign that the colder months were drawing nearer. The sky grew ever darker as Lapis made her way to the bus stop, sitting down on the cold metal bench and ignoring the way to chilly metal but through her jeans. Within seconds her phone was out of her pocket and earphones were popped into her ears. She scrolled through her endless spotify playlists until she found the right one, tapping the shuffle button and letting the first song play on as she waited for the bus in contented silence. 

The low rumbling of an engine cut through her music and she looked up to see the approaching bus. Standing up, she shuffled to the back of the waiting queue and rummaged around in her jacket pockets for her bus pass. Her fingers brushed against the laminated pass just as the kid in front of her stepped on and made their way the their seat. she flashed the pass to the driver, who nodded absently. The doors closed behind her with a quiet swishing noise and the bus lurched forward as Lapis found her seat and slipped into it. Her fingers played with a loose seam in her inner pocket as her wind began to wander. Her mind drifted back to the markings on her hands, and she reluctantly pulled up her sleeve to glance at them. Yup, still there, and still unrecognisable. 

The walk from the bus stop to her school was a short and simple one. It was down a long straight road and then past a crossing that led to the gates. It took Lapis about ten minutes to walk it, give or take,and as soon as she stepped on foot through the gates, the screeching bell hit her ears and she groaned loudly and set off in the direction of her first period class, which was, luckily, art, literally the only lesson she really cared about. Glancing down at the printed timetable in her hands, she nodded to herself and began the long walk up to the second floor art classrooms. Lapis wasn't entirely sure why they thought putting the art classrooms at the very top of the school was a good idea, art students did tend to be very lazy, and even as she conquered the last step, her heavy breathing indicated that she herself was not the healthiest. The classroom was already full of students as she entered, and her eyes scanned the room in the hopes of finding a decent seat. Most were empty, not a lot of students took art, many had dropped out as soon as it became optional to take as many found it a waste of time. Others only took the class because it was considered 'easy' and often messed around. 

What Lapis didn't expect was the new face in the far corner of the room. It looked somewhat familiar, a pale freckled covered face, with eyes covered by green tinted glasses Lapis was sure were only there for the aesthetic, and short cropped blonde hair that framed her round face. She sat almost timidly, she her eyes glued to the desk and cheeks rosy. She looked out of place to say the least. A sketchbook had been placed out on her desk but upon further inspection was clearly empty. The blonde was holding a sharpened pencil in one hand, tapping the end on her desk as she stared down at the empty book with eyes that lacked confidence. Oh she had definitely been forced to be here. 

Lapis decided to take the desk in front of the new girls. Something about her intrigued her and they made slight eye contact as she moved her chair backwards to slit down. She could still feel the blondes eyes on her back as she set out her equipment and tried to ignore it in favour of doodling in her sketchbook. The eyes never seemed to leave her, even as the teacher walked in, late, and sat down at her desk to log into the computer and take the register. And Lapis tried not to think about it too much. She wasn't sure who this girl was, but she surely knew who Lapis was. Who didn't at this point? 

The chatter died down as the teacher stood up, and Lapis felt the cold stare lift itself to look away, and she breathed out a deep sigh and continued to concentrate on her drawings. Surely this blonde was just another insignificant person in her equally insignificant life. Surely, right?


	2. Act 1 - Scene 2: Peridot

The loud blaring sound of her alarm pried her eyes open and she was immediately met with the glaring light of the morning coming from her open window. A slight breeze coming from outside blew her curtains upwards. Peridot figured she'd probably left it open when she'd passed out at 2am from playing pokemon for many many hours the day before. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and placed her green tinted glasses upon her freckled nose. The room lurched into focus and she was met with the familiar messiness and a dark sky outside.

She figured it would probably rain later on in the day and made a mental note to make sure to grab a jacket. And make sure no electronics or books in her bag would get damaged becuase, honestly, her old alien themed backpack was probably the least waterproof thing she owned. It was a least five years old, the fabric was worn and thin due to excessive use, the zips barely holding on and the patches she'd put on when she was thirteen were peeling off. But damn if she didn't love that thing. And said monstrocity was currently slumped underneath her window, the neutral lighting casting faint shadows along the black material, contrasting with her several bright green alien patches and rainbow badge she'd attatched onto it. 

Her phone was placed on her bedside table, an old drawer painted an ugly beige that was probably almost as old as her. The paint had chipped off, mostly due to Peridot trying to scratch off the ugly colour during her many sleepless nights. Her phone in question lit up, the alarm signalling loud and clear that it was time to stop procrastinating and get up. 

Reluctantly, Peridot shuffled to the end of her bed, throwing the array of blankets previously covering her body to the far end of her bed and dangling her legs over the sides. The cold metal frame against her bare skin sent chills up her spine, almost as much as having to look at the scarred stump that was now her left leg every day. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to dwell on it as she reached for her prosthetic, which had been conveniently propped up against the drawer. She strapped it on, making sure not to touch the scarring and slowly stood up, easing weight onto the prostetic until it clicked. She walked forward, limping slightly as she got used to the weight on her left leg, and started to pick out clothes. 

She picked out a bottle green hoodie from the pile of moderately clean clothing and nodded to herself as she added with it a graphic tee and some jeans. She dressed quickly and grabbed her phone, slowly descending the stairs and making a beeline for the kitchen. Her mother sat at the table, a mug of piping hot coffee in one hand and a large tablet in the other. Her sharp eyes were focused on the glowing screen, mouth set into a permanent frown as she read. The woman only acknowledged Peridots presence when she opened the fridge to grab milk for her own coffee. Their eyes met briefly before her mother's moved back to stare at the screen infront of her. 

Peridot turned her back to the woman and started to prepare her own coffee. The air between mother and daughter was tense and Peridot really wished the kettle would boil a little faster so that she could complete her sweet drink and leave. Upon her command, the low whistle of the kettle brought her back and she quickly made the coffee and took a long sip before stepping forward to leave the room. 

The soft voice of her mother stopped her in her tracks before she could even get past the counter. "Peridot wait" the way she said her name made Peridot freeze and spin back around to glance curiously at her mother. And in turn she looked at her daughter with a strange softness in her eyes that dissipated almost as qickly as it had came as she turned away to stare down into her mug as she took another sip of her bitter drink "I just wanted to remind you that I'm going to be home late tonight.  I've got a big commission I must complete by the end of the week and, to put it nicely, my team has been slagging off" she scowled into her drink. "Theres some leftovers in the fridge you could have for dinner, I' m not sure what time I'll be back".

"Yeah, okay" Peridot answered and exited the room swiftly to sort out her bag and finish getting ready for the first day back at school. Setting down her mug, she eased herself onto the sofa and started going through the contents of her beg. Planner, timetable, pencilcase, notebooks, phone, DS, sketchbook. Wait-FUCK. 

Oh god she'd completely forgotten about the art course she'd been forced to take this year. She glared at the large A3 sketchbook that sat beside her on the cushions and silently cursed herself for agreeing to take the damned class. Finishing her drink, she slipped on her worn converse, slung her bag over one shoulder and awkwardly clung to her empty sketchbook. She said a quick goodbye to her mother, who only hummed in reply, and set off down the street to school. She didn't live too far from campus, only a short ten minute walk from her house. Her eyes never left the pavement as she trudged onwards, trying not to think about the sketchbook in her arms, or the fact thst she had art first period. The lingering feeling of anxiety was slowly welling up in her chest as she turned a corner and glanced up at the large dull grey building before her. School.

Checking her phone, Peridot noted that she still had fifteen minutes until class started and strolled anxiously into the building. The warmth hit her as soon as she entered and she rubbed her cold hands together and set off towards the art block. The constant feeling of lingering eyes  on her back did little to lessen her anxiety as she went up the stairs one at a time. 

The art block was right at the top of the building, meaning that all the art students had to walk up several flights of stairs to get to their destination. Peridot wheezed slightly as she made her way to the top, the lingering throb of hot pain that usually came with using her bad leg excessively was currently at the back of her mind as she approached the open door. The classroom itself was a lot colder than the rest of the school, and a lot bigger than the other rooms in the building. The floor was made of what looked like stone, several rows of desks lined the room, all facing towards the small desk at the front. There were pieces of art made by younger and older students alike on all four walls, and Peridot studied them as she walked over to the desk situated at the farthest corner of the class. There were some students already sitting at the desks, none of them looked up at the newcomer, most were listening to music on their phones.  

When Peridot had sat down and placed her empty sketchbook on her desk, she scanned the room once more and then slipped out a notebook and her favourite green gel pen. She tested the ink on her arms before using it, rubbing at the wet ink a little and sighing as it smudged down her arm before opening the notebook and scribbling down her thoughts. 

This was what Peridot liked the call her 'log book'. Most people would've called it a diary but Peridot always insisted that it wasn't. It was just a thing where she wrote all her thoughts and feelings down, something so private she would rather die than have another person read it. The book held her deepest darkest thoughts. About her life. Her mother. Her peers. Thoughts about her future soulmate, if they even existed, that is.

Peridot had been alive for almost eighteen years, and never once had she had signs of a soulmate. No markings on her arms. No sudden feelings. No nothing. She was convinced that she didn't have one at all, which was very possible albiet very rare, but the thought of one being there for her, loving her, was enough to keep a little spark of hope in her chest. 

The bell ringing sliced through the quiet atmosphere of the room and Peridot quickly tucked the book back into her bag and set about sharpening her pencils as more people filed in. The sound of chatter eventually filled the room and the blonde was left to awkwardly sit in the corner, staring at her sketchbook and waiting for the teacher to arrive. That was until the sound of a bag dropping beside the desk infront of her caught her attention. She rose her head and was met with ocean blue hair styled into an undercut. The hair underneath wasnt dyed, instead it was a natural brown. The girl infront of her had tanned skin and a slim but somewhat muscular build and she gawked as the blue haired beauty turned around to watch the teacher stroll in. 

Peridot was met with an intense grey gaze that sent shivers down her spine. She quickly looked away, fearing that the girl had caught her staring and hoping to any god out there that her hot cheeks weren't as noticeable as they felt. What was going on?? Was she ill? What had this girl done to her? She tried not to dwell on these thoughts too long and continued to glare down at her book.


	3. Act 1 - Scene 3: Chickenscratch

Their art teaches name was Miss Opal, something Lapis had always found slightly amusing considering she knew so many people named after gemstones. She was a tall woman with icy blue eyes and pale hair. She dressed in exclusively blouses and skirts and tights in an array of colours and her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail. She sat at her desk with her long legs crossed over one another. Lapis had always liked Miss Opal, mostly due to her kind nature and ability to relate to the teens she taught. And although she was very softspoken and forgetful, was one of the few favoured teachers in the school. Everyone who attended her classes grew a liking to her, and Lapis sat happily knowing that she would have a nice relaxing year with this laid back teacher. 

Her voice was deep and soft, but in a very feminine way. She looked up from her computer screen after every name she called even though everyone knew she'd forget once the register had been finished. She called out Lapis' name and smiled warmly at her as she answered. 

"Peridot" she called out and her blue gaze rose to look over Lapis' shoulder. Behind her a nasally voice mumbled something that sounded vaguely like a 'yes miss' and Lapis did everything in her power not to spin around and stare at the girl she knew the voice belonged to. The voice made her toes curl in an unpleasant way. It was kind of irritating, and something Lapis had sworn she'd heard before. She wasn't sure if she'd seen Peridot around school before, maybe in passing but she would've never matched her face to that voice before now. 

Miss Opal carried on calling out names without a care in the world. The woman just smiled at the student and tapped a key on her keyboard until the list was complete and the lesson had begun. Her hands passed along the soft fabric of her pastel skirt, smoothing out the creases before she rose from her chair to formally address the class before her. Lapis looked up at her and scratched at the pen markings on her arms, ignoring the way they made her skin tingle almost pleasantly. 

"Okay class. Since this is your first lesson back, we're going to start with something easy to ease you back into the routine" the teacher started with clasped hands and a shy grin. "Your task for this lesson is a simple one" she leant over her desk to click at a few folders on her monitor before opening up a single word document with the task written in bold comic sans font. "i want you to sketch out something you did this summer! I'll give you some time to think and speak with the people beside you and at the end of the class, we will present them". Miss Opal finished and almost immediately a sea of chatter overcame the room. 

Lapis was forever grateful that her art teacher was so tame. She knew if it had been any other teacher from the art department, they would've started with one of those dumb group tasks or something equally as stupid. Any task that doesn't involve directly talking to her peers was a task Lapis could appreciate. Although there was always a lingering feeling of guilt whenever said task was put in order. Lapis had always been one of the more popular students in her year. For the past five years she'd been on the schools swim team, and briefly on the athletics team before the whole Jasper Thing. Honestly, that was when her whole school career kinda crashed and burned. Sure, she was still somewhat popular, people knew who she was, she still had the regular hoard of both boys and girls trying to court her. But something seemed off. The people around her seemed to act with an air of caution, something lapis absolutely despised but couldn't do anything about without drawing more attention to herself. Even now as the class conversed about what activities they had done during the holidays, the people sitting directly beside her looked rigid and awkward. Like they wanted to talk to her but couldn't bring themselves to. All except Peridot.

Peridot. What an odd name, Lapis thought, still amused at the number of people residing in this school who had gem related names. It fit though. The girl with those piercing green eyes and pale freckled cheeks. The blue haired girl chanced a look behind her and spotted the blonde frantically rubbing out half a sketch from her book. Although it seemed it wasn't working, she had pressed her pencil onto the paper too hard and in turn, the rubber couldn't seem to get rid of the creased marks.

With a tiny smile etched onto her lips, Lapis turned around the best she could on her awkward plastic chair and tapped the table to get Peridots attention. The tiny girl's head shot up and she blushed as she realised who it was. "Peridot, right?" Lapis asked softly, not wanting to scare her off, because she was sure Peridot had heard about what happened. And that was the only reason she'd be scared of Lapis. And the only reason she'd be blushing, right?

Her blonde hair bounced as she nodded, her wide eyes glancing everywhere but her eyes. The sleeves of her bottle green hoodie covered her arms but she could see the faint freckles that dotted her arms and some faint ink marks. Lapis, horrified that her own mind was turning against her, wondered why she found this girl so cute. Her awkwardness was almost charming, her large hoodie was obviously too big for her tiny frame, enveloped her, making her look even tinier. Lapis could hear the fain tapping of her anxious foot against the floor. Her stubby fingers played with her pencil, she reached over the her rubber with the intent to try again to get rid of the chickenscratch markings in her sketchbook. Lapis stopped her before her small hands could wrap around the stationary.

"Look, as much as I find you struggling to make a decent sketch amusing, I feel like I should at least try to help you" she explained and took the rubbed in her own hands along with the girls pencil. She pulled her sketchbook closer towards her and started to scratch the paper with light markings. "See, if you want to sketch something, you having to do it lightly so it's easier to rub it out. Sketches are like the guidelines to a piece. Once you've figured out the shapes, only then do you started too press down harder" she began to sketch out a circle, adding two lines vertically and horizontally across it. The lines slowly morphed into a decent looking head, and Peridot watched in silent amazement as she continued to draw. 

Once she was done, she dropped the pencil and it rolled back into Peridot's waiting hands. "Do yourself a favour and rip out that page, there's no way of saving it now" Lapis commented, then turned back around. The sound of a page ripping filled her ears and she grinned to herself as the faint sound of pencil against paper followed it. 

For some reason, helping out that poor girl made Lapis feel a lot happier. She found herself drawn to Peridot for whatever reason. But there was a lingering voice in the back of her mind that told her to back off. To not let herself get infatuated. Remember what happened last time? Just drop it and ignore her before it's too late! That voice became louder and louder, and with it, the heavy weight of guilt that rest on her chest. And that was when Lapis decided that Peridot probably wasn't worth her efforts. She'd only corrupt the seemingly innocent blonde if she ever got close to her. And Lapis decided it wasn't worth it. At least, for Peridot's sake.


	4. Act 1 - Scene 4: Intervention

Peridot wasnt sure how to feel when the blue haired girl had leant towards her and given her proper advice about sketching techniques. She was still flustered even when she turned back around and scooted her chair back towards her own desk to work on her own sketch. Peridot eyed her back for a little longer than necessary and then glanced down to anxiously press her sharpened pencil to the fresh page in the sketchbook. The sketchbook she had to pay for with her own money. The sketchbook she had already ruined with her terrible art skills. Because even though the page with the awful chickenscratch was in the trash, she had pressed down hard enough to crease the pages underneath and she grimaced when her pencil drifted over the newly formed crevices.

Their task was to draw something they did during the summer. Peridot didnt really do anything especially noteworthy, just sat on her computer all day until her mother came back from work to yell at her. Only then would she come out of the comfort of her room and wander around the boardwalk. The doughnut shop by the beach had been a place she had visited often, as well as the tiny beach house that sat on a private piece of land in a secluded corner of the beach. She usually went there to visit Amethyst, one of the few people who actually tolerated her, but more and more often Steven, Anethysts younger brother, would tag along on their dumb adventures and Peridot found herself enjoying his company as well.

Fortunately she'd be able to see her old friend next period. With that in mind, the blonde glanced at the clock, only about fifteen minutes to go, and went on drawing with a spark of determination. She had been trying to sketch out the beach house but of course, her art skills were very very poor and the building looked more like a jumbled mess of poorly drawn 3D boxes than a building. But she was determined to complete her piece, no matter how shitty it looked, and carried on adding little details to the roof as the people around her chattered on. 

In the last five minutes of class Miss Opal had her students peer assess the work that had been created that lesson. Almost immediately Lapis turned around with a warm smile on her tanned face and her grey eyes set on the sketchbook that sat before Peridot. Peridot felt her face flush with embarassment as the artists eyes swept over her shitty sketch and then rose to look at Peridot. 

"I see you took my advice" Lapis mumbled, her smile stretching wider. Peridot just nodded back mutely, trying to control her raplidly breating heart. Oh god, what was happening to her?? The blonde jumped a little when the bell finally rang, the shrill noise pierced her ears. Lapis seemed to look a little disappointed, but before Peridot could look closer, the emotion was gone. The blue haired girl started to slip her bag on and adjusted the collar of her jacket. Her eyes met Peridots for a couple of seconds before turning around and exiting the classroom and disappearing down the hallyway. Peridot stood frozen, her heart thumping anxiously in her chest. 

Another student brushed past her and the slight contact grounded her enough to frantically grab her things and make her way down to the ground floor. She jogged down the steps then exited the main building, walking along a gravel clearing and then into another building. By now the stampede of students had thinned out, a couple of stragglers here and there but no one she knew in sight. Good. She walked down the corridor in a contented silence, the sound of chairs being pulled back and a low stream of chatter filled her ears as she walked past open classroom doors. Her destination was at the end of the hallway, she'd thankfully be able to get there before the second bell rang. 

Second Period on a Monday was usually reserved for p.e, and it was mandatory for all students in her year to do it. Well, she was one of the few exceptions. Her leg had caused many problems in the past and although she hated thinking about it, she was secretly grateful that they'd taken her out of doing any sports or major physical activities. Honestly she was sure by now she'd be able to participate in the subject, but she had played her cards just right, and as a reward gained extra studying time instead. But there was a loophole in this arrangement that came very unexpectedly to Peridot. Because although she had the period to study, the school had also given her multiple students to 'tutor'. They called it intervention. She called it hell. 

Normally there was a router of students that she had to tutor. And normally it was just a bunch of popular kids whose grades had slipped during the term. There was only one person who she actually tolerated. Amethyst. 

Amethyst was a close friend. She was shorter than her, something Peridot was very smug about, and was very lazy in nature. Her grades had slipped pretty drastically last term and she was immediately sent to Peridot in the hopes of helping her. The blonde had helped her as much as she could, she knew Amethyst was smarter than she looked, she just needed an extra nudge in the right direction. And as she pushed open the door, she grinned as she spotted the head of dyed lilac hair in the corner of the room.

Intervention was always held in empty classrooms where the school could cram everyone not doing p.e into the same room and forget about them for an hour. Sometimes there was a teacher supervising them, most times they were left to their own devices. Amethyst often used this to her advantage, distracting her tutor with banter and escaping an extra hour of work. 

"Hey Peri!" The smaller girl greeted, lifting a hand to wave at her friend. Her mouth was pulled into a lazy smile, her dark eyes half-lidded, an arm draped carelessly over the side of the chair. Peridot dropped her bag and slipped into the chair opposite. 

"So" Peridot clapped her hands together once the two girls had settled, she watched as Amethyst fumbled for her notebook in her bag. "What are we going over today?"

There was a thud as Amethyst set her book down heavily onto the table, and with that she carelessly propped her head in her hands. "I dunno. Maybe media? I just had it but I like, fell asleep halfway through the lesson and my teacher was cool enough to let me sleep until the bell. He gave me a bunch of worksheets i gotta fill in before next lesson, though". 

"And when's your next lesson?" Peridot asked curiously. Amethyst tossed out the worksheets from her bag and sighed. 

"Ive got a double period tomorrow I think. So third and fourth". 

"Hmm. Okay, I only know a little about what you're doing but I guess I can try and help" Peridot shuffled her chair towards her friend and spread out the worksheets. There were three in total, all printed out in shoddy black and white ink. For a media department, they sure are bad at printing, Peridot thought with slight amusement.

The content was simple enough. They had been looking at Action films and evaulating the aspects of them. Pretty easy. Although as Peridot picked up the first worksheet and started going through it with Amethyst, she found it harder and harder to concentrate. Her mind kept wandering back to Lapis. 

Lapis Lazuli, that name definitely rang a bell. Even though Peridot was a social outcast and never really gave two shits when it came to highschool drama, she remembered hearing Lapis' name circulating around the school last year. Although she couldn't remember any context off the top of her head, she knew that it had been bad. And that Jasper had been involved.  Peridot visibly winced at the name. Jasper, the captain of the rugby team. Jasper, a well known name around the school. Jasper, someone Peridot had wavering opinions about. Someone who she'd rather just forget. 

Amethyst stopped talking as she noticed Peridot freeze up, and she dropped her pen to place a reassuring hand on the blondes trembling shoulder and to gently pull her closer. Peridot moved with her numbly. 

"Hey 'dot, whats got you so worked up?" She asked in an uncharacteristicly spft voice. Becuase even though Amethyst was known for her loud mouth and practically nonexistent verbal filter, she was still an incredibly caring person, who loved her friends more than she would admit out loud. 

"Just thinking is all" she replied absently. Her mind attempted to push away all the horrible memories of her past before they started becoming too overwhelming. She could feel her anxiety rising, her eyes watering as she struggled to control her breathing. 

Her small friend continued to rub her shoulders. "Doesn't look like that". Peridot angrily wiped at her eyes and leant into her friends touch. 

Peridot hummed and her tense shoulders dropped as she began to feel calmer. She glanced around the room, eyes darting between the small crowd of students studying with earphones in and music blasting. No one was watching. No one cared. It was okay. They're all gone. They can't hurt you. Peridot repeated that mantra in her head as she opened her mouth to finally mumble somethibg coherent. 

"What can you tell me about Lapis Lazuli?"


	5. Act 1 - Scene 5: Jasper

Packed hallways and loud consistent chatter met Lapis' ears as she walked down to the first floor in the building. There seemed to be an endless stream of younger students filtering through the doors and the blue haired girl had to move against the flow to exit. Her shoulder bumped into a kid and they shoved back before scurrying away. Lapis sighed as she finally stepped out into fresh air, revelling in the cold autumn breeze before another swarm of kids pushed her aside. 

The wind whipped her hair around her ears as she began to walk once again. The journey was a short one, the p.e block, though you couldn't really call it a block, was a only a couple metres from the main building. And as she walked up to the group of students crowding around the entrance, she began to fall back into her usual reserved, quiet routine. Of course she greeted a few students with a polite smile and a wave, and she ended up finding herself chatting to Sadie, the girl who ran the counter at the doughnut shop on the boardwalk, about useless topics that helped distract her from her own numb mind. She was glad for the smaller girls prescence, especially her friendly nature and ability to get along with pretty much anyone. She was well known around the town for her generosity, and Lapis' lips always seemed to quirk up when around her.

Sadie was a good person. She knew a persons boundaries and never crossed them. She had never spoken to her about Jasper, or anything that had taken place the year before, instead opting to give subtle advice that had honestly helped Lapis more than she thought it would.  

Soon enough the huddle of students slowly filtered through the doors and down the low-ceiling corridors that took them to the changing rooms. Said changing rooms were a pretty decent size with rows of benches and convenient pegs to hang your bags as you changed. The back of the room was where the showers were, six single shower stalls stood beside one another in rows of three. On the other side of the room beside the entrance were the bathroom where some girls tended to flock in the stalls to escape the embarassment of changing in the open though Lapis figured it was deeper than that. She was out as Bisexual to the entire school and although a good majority of people were surprisingly chill with it, others were not. A good majority of those people were asshole girls who thought that Lapis' preference for girls meant that they were being targeted. Of course, they were not.

The blue haired girl and her small friend claimed a bench next to the warm radiators. The endless stream of chatter seemed to increase as they changed. And soon enough they were all herded into the sports hall to do whatever shit they were meant to do for like four weeks. Honestly, Lapis didn't have the energy to care anymore and just continued talking to Sadie. When the bell rang, Lapis was the quickest to change, and quickly flew out of the building to grab some food before her next period. 

Break time had always been a good time for Lapis. Twenty minutes of free time. A good time to eat and socialise with friends whilst also silently dreading your next lesson. Lapis had Chemistry. She was considering skipping in favour of seeing her dreaded teacher again. And the dreaded face of her ex. Lapis' grip on the roll she'd been eating tightened and the bread cumbled in her fists. She ignored the sudden stares and threw the snack into the bin, her apatite dissipating and left the canteen in wordless anxiety. 

She'd forgotten about Jasper being in her science classes. She'd forgotten about their seating arrangement. Surely she wouldn't have to sit next to that brute for the rest of the year. Surely her teacher would show some mercy. 

The science building was at the very end of campus. It was built into the maths block as one long corridor, with chemistry and biology on one end, and maths at the other. The physics rooms were built near the main building and you had to walk up two flights of steep stairs to get to them. Lapis didn't like physics very much.  

A looming shadow could be seen moving around in one of the windows of her designated science room and Lapis' heart immediately plummeted. The figure seemed to sense her staring and froze, watching her behind hooded eyes as she approached. Lapis knew who it was. She hadn't seen Jasper since last summer but she knew she couldn't have changed much. Entering the room with great reluctance, she found herself to be correct.

Jasper was still as tall and muscular as ever. Her bleached hair cascaded down her toned back, her sharp hazel eyes seemed to glow as she met Lapis' gaze. Her apricot skin, painted with tiger stripes of a lighter shade, was still as clear and perfect as ever. And Lapis realised, with a sligh smirk, that her nose was still slightly crooked, and a faint scar could barely be seen stretching from her sharp cheekbone along her rigid nose. Lapis made direct eye contact as she took her seat at the head of the table and set her bag down. Jasper growled low in her throat as took the seat beside her. 

Feeling Jaspers familiar presence besides her felt awkward and very very bad. And people looked at them funny as they entered the room and took their own seats. Lapis glared down at the table and refused to aknowledge the large girl beside her. She doodled absently in her notebook and waited for the class to begin. Jasper grunted as she pulled her chair foward and stared ahead at the whieboard with a calculating look etched into her face. That perfect face that Lapis had fallen for what felt like decades ago. Her gut twisted weirdly at the thought and she was glad that it was suddenly interrupted by her teacher finally walking in carrying a box of textbooks in her short arms. 

As class went on, the tension seemed to increase between the two. And Lapis was sure everyone could feel it. Sadie cast her a sad look over her shoulder from her position on the other side of the room. Lapis ignored it. She hated people feeling sorry for her. She hated all the attention she got , all the questions asked, all the sympathetic glances directed towards her. Something seemed to snap as Jasper grabbed her wrist in one sudden, violent movement that had Lapis reeling back. Her large palm easily wrapped around her skinny wrists, and she began to tremble as Jasper pulled her foward. Her hazel eyes were trained on her skin and she looked down to see what the fuss was about. Her heart stopped and she swallowed dryly. 

The same seemingly bored green gel pen that had appeared that morning was beginning to move slowly up her arm in a chickenscratch pattern. There were tiny stars drawn around her knuckles as well as an accompanying purple pen that seemed to write faded rude words on her skin. These were blurred out quickly as her soulmate rubbed them off angrily. Her eyes widened in amazement. There was an amused look on her face as the word 'fuck' was written and then prompty rubbed off. Jasper didn't seem amused in the slightest. 

"What is this?" She spat, finally releasing Lapis' wrists and gesturing towards the markings.

"Isn't it obvious or can't your thick skull process that we were never soulmates to begin with" she replied back with equal amounts of venom in her tone. 

Jaspers eyes flashed in anger and she grit her teeth and tried to contain her very visible anger. 

"You better shut your mouth you bitch" she hissed, deafeated but still bristling. Her eyes kept darting to the marks on her arm, and every time Lapis could hear her gumbling under her breath. 

The rest of the lesson was sat in silent tension. Lapis knew Jaspers mind with reeling. The cogs turning almost visibly. Because Lapis knew Jasper wanted her back, but right now couldn't touch her. But when she got her chance she would definitely take it. After almost a year of her manipulation and abuse, Lapis was ready to move on but there was still a lingering thought tucked into the back of her mind that some part of her wanted Jasper back too. 


	6. Act 1 - Scene 6: Cold Pizza

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the inconsistent updates, I'm in the middle of doing some important exams (got 11 left oof) and I've been focusing on those...
> 
> So,,, apologies for the short chapter.. I really don't like the way I wrote this but hopefully the next one will make up for it!!

Amethyst cast a worried glance over her friend. The blonde looked back with wavering green eyes and small hands clenched into tight, anxious fists. She looked so timid and unsurse and Amethyst could only wonder what had occured in the span of one period. She ran a hand through her purple locks and slipped her worksheets and pens back into her bag, twisting in her seat to give Peridot her undivided attention. 

One could say that Amethyst was definitely up to date on all the gossip and drama the school had to offer. She had never been classed as popular, but was well known around the school for her loud mouth and strange eating habits and somehow knew every little thing that had happened no matter how significant. So of course she knew what had happened between Lapis and Jasper, she had thought that everyone knew by now. But she had underestimated how sheltered Peridot was to everything going on, though she was sure that the blonde had probably just blocked it out upon hearing Jaspers name. She wasnt sure what to tell her.

"Why are you so curious all of a sudden?" She asked instead with a tilted head and raised brows. 

Peridot sniffled and rubbed her tired eyes with the palms of her hands. She looked exhausted and pale and even though Amethyst had brought it upon herself to check up on her bad habits, she was powerless as to if Peridot actually took her advice. The dark circles under her eyes told the chubby girl that she hadn't been sleeping well, as well as her somewhat greasy hair that had grown a slightly darker shade of the blonde at the lack of care it had been given. She hesitated before answering the question, she seemed to be recalling something. Her cheeks were dusted red and she rubbed them to try and get rid of the colour. 

"I dunno" the confident demeanor she had earlier had vanished, and replaced by the awkward, timid girl Amethyst had come to know and love. "I had art first period. Y'know, cause the school made me take it for extra credit, and I ran into Lapis" she wavered a little, her eyes darting everywhere but Amethyst. "Something feels...different about her. I just wanna know if she's okay". 

"When did you start caring about a girl you've never spoken to before?" Amethyst asked with a faint laugh. Surely the rumours and tales had crept up on the blonde by now, it had been months. But judging by her tinted cheeks and anxious aura, it seemed to be something else. 

"I-I don't know!" Peridots nasally tone grew higher in pitch as she struggled to defend herself. She clenched her tiny fists and bunched them up in her hoodie sleeves. "There's just something about her- I didn't notice it until now. She's different. Something happened and I guess I'm too out of the loop to know". She looked sad, her tired face was downcast, her fingers fidgeting with anxiety. She really seemed to care about this girl all of a sudden. 

"Is it because of Jasper?" The lilac haired girl finally asked. This made Peridot freeze in her seat. She turned away. Amethyst rest a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I know you know it has something to do with her. Is that why you asked? Or did Lapis no something to you in art?? I swear, if she lays one finger on you I'll-"

"Amethyst!" Peridot warned "n-no Lapis didn't do anything to me. Its fine. Just- forget I ever asked" she flapped her tiny hands and glanced over to the clock. "Its almost break time" she commented and Amethyst threw her another concerned look before standing up to stretch her legs before the bell went.

And when it did go, she pulled Peridot out of the classroom and down a corridor painted blue with walls covered in posters of food and meal deals. The canteen.  

Amethyst claimed a table and threw her bag onto the seat next to her. She rummaged in her bag, shoving books and loose pieces of paper aside until she found the thing she'd been looking for. Pulling out an object convered in tinfoil, the smell of dough immediately hit Peridots nose and she watched Anethyst pull out three thick slices of cold pizza. She further watched in mild disgust as her friend folded one slice in half and shoved it into her mouth. 

"Mmf' aren't ya gonna eat anythin'?" She asked around the mouthful of pizza. A piece of ham fell from her mouth and she quickly picked it up to place back into her stuffed mouth. Peridot felt a little sick. 

"Not hungry". 

"Fair enough" Amethyst finally swallowed the first slice of pizza and made a move for the second "just... Make sure you eat something at lunch, okay?" Peridot nodded absently. 

A flash of blue crossed her peripheral vision and her head shot up to scan the area. Lapis Lazuli was right there, crossing between the rows of tables looking distraught. Her grey eyes were glaring intensely at the ground as she wiped her hands on her jacket and then stuffed them promptly back into her jacket. She exited and only when the door shut did Peridot turn back around.

"Was that Lapis?" She asked, wiping the pizza sauce off her mouth with her sleeve. Peridot nodded mutely. Amethyst busied herself with throwing the remnants of her meal in the bin before ushering Peridot towards their next lesson. Peridot glanced behind her shoulder as the left the canteen and started walking down the corridor to Physics. 

The pair arrived just as the bell went, after walking up a flight of stairs to get to their assigned classroom. Peridot still seemed a little stiff, and Anethyst kept a close eye on her as they took their seats. Physics had never been a desired topic. Neither particularly liked the subject, Amethyst because of the equations you had to memorise for the exams (over 20!!), and Peridot because science in general had never been something she held any interest in. Also the amount of stairs she had climb to get into the classrooms, they may have also played a part. 

An hour passed by without anything happening. It was still the first day of school, and everyone was exhausted, even the teachers, so they had just sat and copied out of textbooks for the entire lesson. Multiple times Peridot had had to wipe off the crude drawings Amethyst had inked onto her arm. Multiple times she had rolled down her hoodie sleeves, only for her small friend to go for her exposed hands. When the lesson was finally over, and the bell rang through the classroom, Peridot was glad to jog down the steps and scurry off to her next lesson without her purple haired friend trailing her.


	7. Act 1 - Scene 7: Eye of the Storm

Lunchtime rolled around fairly quickly, and Lapis was glad to get out of the stuffy Philosophy classroom as fast as possible. She sped down the corridors, descending the stairs two at a time, and once her feet hit the ground floor, she turned left and exited out of the building. The sky outside had grown darker, there was a musty, dank smell in the air that warned Lapis rain was coming. There were still groups of kids sitting outside, though. The younger ones sat in groups on benches, bags seated next to them as they chatted. Older kids moved in packs, their bags slung nonchalantly over one shoulder. Lapis walked past them without any hassle, her eyes glaring at her feet as they moved back and forth. 

By now the wind had begun to pick up, and it whipped her hair around her face as the walked onwards. Her bangs blew into her eyes and she awkwardly jerked her head to the side in an attempt to clear her vision. Pulling open the glass door, and then letting it shut behind her, Lapis was greeeted by a wave of warmth and rolled up the sleeves of her jacket. She continued to stride onwards, not really paying attention to her surroundings. Her mind was still trying to process what had happened during her third period. What had happened to Jasper. Her arm. The ink on it they both knew wasn't her own. Her wrist still ached from Jasper iron grip, and she massaged the soft flesh as she used her shoulder to push open another door and slipped into the room. 

As soon as she entered, the echoing sound of talking and laughter hit Lapis almost immediately. She dropped her hands so that they sat at her sides and scanned the room. It was rather large with tables scattered around the blue plastic flooring. At the front was a raised platform that the school called a stage. Rows and rows of lights stretched above them. Lapis had always wondered what would happen if they fell. She shook her morbid thoughts away. Her eyes landed on a table besides the stage. Only two people sat at it, but Lapis knew that it wouldn't be like that for long. She continued onwards, determined to grab a seat next to Sadie before anyone could stop her. Her journey came to an abrupt and unexpected end when her smaller frame ran into a very tall one. The impact made her stumble backwards a little and her head shot up, ready to give this asshole a piece of her mind. Then she froze.

Those intoxicating hazel eyes stared back at her with such intensity it sent shivers cascading down her spine. The two stood in an awkward stalemate, unaware of the crowds of people glancing at them, conerned. Jasper. Her eyes darted down to her exposed arms, and Lapis quickly brought them up to cross over her chest, effectively hiding the ink of her soulmate. The taller frowned deeply. And then sighed. 

"Lapis I think we need to talk" she murmured, acutely aware of the eyes on her now. She shuffled her large body from side to side, although her eyes never left Lapis. Not for a second. 

"About what, exactly?" The latter asked innocently. 

Jasper growled low in her throat. "You know exactly what I'm talking about" she flexed her hands and a jolt of anxiety made Lapis' chest constrict. 

"I...uh".

"Its been months Lapis!" Jasper stepped closer, and in turn Lapis edged backwards. "Months and you still wont talk about it. About us!"

"Y-you manipulated me" Lapis shot back angrily. She was shaking. Jasper was so close. Why wasn't anyone helping her? Stop staring! " there's nothing to talk about. There was no 'us' and there never will be".

The tall girl reeled back in shock and anger. A hurt expression crossed her face for mere seconds before being replaced with one of pure anger. "What we had was special. We were soulmates!"

Lapis' chest rattled as her heartbeat sped up. She couldn't breathe. That word. How dare she refer to her like that! They weren't soulmates. She knew that now. "We were never meant to be together, just let it go!" She raised her voice with each word. A deep rumbling sound of thunder and the sound of rain hitting the roof met the quiet crowds of students. The tension slowly faded and several students, including Sadie, began to rise from their seats and gently push the two exes away from each other. Sadies warm touch jolted Lapis back into reality, and she immediately pulled away. 

Her flight response had been activated and she needed to get away quickly. The thought of Jasper so close to her trembling form made her legs move faster. She was outside. The rain pelting her skin like tiny bullets. She didn't care, Lapis had always loved the rain. But not right now. Not after this. Another flash of lightening lit up the sky and she quickened her pace as the wind blew more rain into her face. The building was crowded with damp students, and she managed to weave through them and up to the library where she knew she would be safe and warm. 

Taking off her coat and hanging it on a radiator, she decided to sit and browse the bookshelves to get her mind off things. The library wasnt as crowded as she thought it would be. Many students were sitting on the computers playing games or doing last minute homework. Others were chatting with friends or reading silently at a table. No one was by the bookshelves save for Lapis. Or so she thought-

The sound of a quiet sob cut through her busy mind and Lapis perked up, trying to figure out where the noise had come from. She walked deeper into the maze of bookshelves, straining her ears to hear the noises coming from within. The rumble of thunder followed by lightning that lit up the area she was in caused a rather loud whimper, and Lapis turned right from the sci-fi section and spotted the source of the noises. And her heart sunk a little when she noticed the fluffy blonde hair poking out haphazardly from the bottle green hood that was trying to contain it. 

Peridot. The small girl was curled up into a tight ball, face buried in her drawn-up legs, quivering arms latched onto her knees. Her tiny hands shook a little as she let out another choked whimper. Lapis carefully crept over to her and slid down the bookshelf to sit beside her. Upon feeling the warm prescence of another person next to her, Peridots head shot up and her bleary red eyes stared at Lapis with both fear and embarrassment. Her face blanched and she quickly hid it back in the sleeves of her bottle green hoodie, mumbling something Lapis didnt quite catch. 

"Sorry what was that?" She asked in the softest voice she could muster. Which was tricky when your mind was still reeling from an earlier encounter with someone you hate with a passion but you were trying to look past it to comfort someone you liked. Lapis tried not to dwell on Jasper, pushing it to the back of her mind and instead focusing on the trembling girl before her.

"I said" Peridots voice was raspy from tears and muffled by the fabric of her hoodie. She still refused to look up at Lapis despite how stuffy and warm she was becoming. Instead, she turned her head slightly to the side so that her voice was more audible and Lapis couldn't see her tear stained cheeks. "What do you want?" The question was asked with a hint of poison. "Are you here to laugh at me because I'm scared of storms? Because go ahead and laugh, its not like I can do anything about it". Her voice became quieter with each word. She visibly flinched when more booming thunder made the sky tremble. 

"What? Why would I laugh at you- I didn't even know you were here until like, a minute ago" Lapis tried to reassure her the best she could. Her own shaky hand hovering over the blondes knee, unsure as to her she would react at the contact. "Peridot, its okay to be scared of storms. I'm not going to judge you". She took the chance to rest her palm against her knee. At first, Peridot jumped a little and Lapis reeled back. But then the blonde leant into the touch. Her head lifted and she stared at Lapis' hand. 

"Thanks" she mumbled, and dabbed at her wet eyes with the sleeve of her hoodie. "Storms just make me...really anxious. Well, everything makes me anxious-but storms especially" she let out a wet laugh and Lapis frowned a little at her choice in wording. 

"Are you okay?"

"Not really" Petidot admitted quietly. Her eyes looked cloudy and her body shook. Her shoulders were still hunched and her hands grasping tightly onto her knees. Lapis hoped her prescence would at least ground her. Bring her back from whatever was on her mind. 

"What do you have last? Lapis decided to change the subject, scooting closer to Peridot and hoping she was comfortable with all this contact. She'd tell her if she wasn't, right?

The blonde hummed in thought and pressed her smaller body closer to Lapis' almost hungrily. Wanting her warmth. Wanting her. "History".

"Oh, me too. What room?"

Peridot thought for a moment and Lapis was amazed that she'd memorised her timetable in such a short span of time. "11".

"Same here. Wanna sit together? Y'know, so I can comfort you some more. The storms probably gonna last a while". Lapis hoped she wasn't being too forward with this. She hoped Peridot wouldn't reject her offer. 

"Yeah sure" the smaller girl sniffled and rubbed her red face. "I should..uh, probably clean up before the bell goes, though". 

The blondes eyes were red and puffy. Her eyes still watered as the storm raged on outside. Lapis took it upon herself to help her to the bathroom. And to scare off any students who questioned them. And as she sat on the counter and watched Petidot frantically splash her face with cold water, a strange warmth filled her heart. A warmth she thought she'd never feel again. And the voice in the back of her mind told her to ignore it. She was going to end up hurting Peridot. 

Lapis ignored it and grinned as the pair walked out shoulder to shouler as if they had been friends for years. They'd both be lying if they said they hadn't felt a connection then and there. Neither felt the need to say anything, though. Not yet. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all I have a week off school so I'll try and write as much as I can in that time!! I'm gonna be pretty busy & I still gotta study but I'm really excited about this fic and where I might take it so stay tuned!!!!


	8. Act 1 - Scene 8: Alone

A great feeling of relief washed over Peridots anxiety ridden body as she followed Lapis up the stairs towards their history room. The cold water had helped get rid of the heat and tear stains on her freckled cheeks, and the unfamiliar but welcomed contact of Lapis' shoulder brushing against her own had managed to clear her mind. Even though Peridot had known Lapis for less that a day, she had felt a connection the moment she had turned around and made eye contact in art. And she revelled in the warm feeling she got whever they were close to one another. It just felt natural to be together. But Peridot could tell something was bothering her. Lapis' dark eyes darting along the hallway, searching. For what? Peridot could only guess. 

Peridot had never spoken to Lapis before today. Mostly because of Lapis' popular status, but it was likely that Peridot would've been to socially awkward to speak to her either way. In fact, Lapis had never acknowledged her existence until this day either. Another factor that played into this was the fact that they had never had many classes together, and if they did, Lapis always sat with Jasper of someone from her friend group. Heck, Peridot herself had never cared about the blue haired beauty beside her until recently. Something had changed between them. Something had drawn them together. A name popped into her head and Peridot swallowed down the lump forming in her throat.

Jasper.

She didn't know what the brute would do if she saw her with Lapis. She wasn't entirely sure what her relationship with the blue haired girl was, although she was certain it was a negative one. But Peridot knew about Jaspers behaviours, she knew how jealous she got. How aggressive she could become. And she hoped that she could have a frienship with Lapis and not have Jasper get in the way. Because Peridot knew she could never dream of overpowering Jasper, the girl was like, three times as tall and five times bigger than she could ever be. 

Their arms brushed against one another and a burst of electricity shot up Peridot's spine. Her arm tingled and although at the time she didnt remember the ink on it, she would later realise what that had meant. Lapis looked vaguely uncomfortable for a few seconds, her fingers dancing over her sleeve clad arm before seeming to shake off whatever she'd been thinking and pulling the blonde into the almost empty classroom. Lapis' hair was still a little damp and clung to her sharp features. Peridot tried not to stare as they sat down and started to slow routine of picking out equipment from their bags. Lapis ran a hand through her hair, ruffling it up, trying to get rid of the patches of wetness.

The classroom was set out a little differently than most on the upper floor of the school. The door was located to the far right of the room and adjacent to that was the teachers desk. In the middle was a clump of tables, around 8 in total, put together in two rows and effectively making one long table. To the sides were singular desks that sat two people. There were around four of these each side, spaced out evenly. Lapis and Peridot took the desk at the back, away from the other students who stared at them curiously as they entered. 

A familiar face stepped onto the filthy blue carpeted floor and Peridots smile immediately dropped from her face and was promptly replaced with a guilty look. Amethyst. Peridot didn't think her best friend would be in this class. In fact, last year she'd been in the history class next to her own, but the blonde had forgotten about the sets being moved around. And she'd forgotten to compare timetables with Amethyst during their intervention. The purple haired girls eyes lit up mischeviously as she spotted Peridot sat next to Lapis, although there seemed to be a hint of worry underneath that Peridot didn't see. Instead of shooting her a sad, rejected look like the blonde thought she would, the small girl instead grinned a little wider and gave her a thumbs up and a wink before moving to sit on the desk in front of her own. Peridot groaned silently, her cheeks flushing a little darker. 

The lesson went on without any interruptions. They were introduced into a new topic. Medicine. Okay, thats pretty easy, though Peridot as she nodded along to the teacher. She could see Lapis in her peripheral fidgeting in her seat and trying discreetly to slide out some blank paper from her bag. Once the initial presentation and introduction had been completed, Peridot turned to see Lapis sketching out guidlines for what seemed like a bigger piece. She watched for a moment, amazed at how gracefully Lapis' hand moved across the paper. Then an arm moved to block her view. 

Eyes rising, she met Lapis' stony glare with a look of sudden fear. The blue haired girls expression softened, and she mumbled a light "sorry. I really hate people looking at me while I draw". 

Peridot nodded, growing more flustered by the minute "yeah I get that. Uh..sorry". And she turned away only to see Amethyst snickering from behind her textbook. 

When the bell rang, only then did it occur that it was still raining heavily outside. She stood on her toes and peered out the large window conveniently placed beside her desk. It was dark outside, the telltale pitter-patter of rain and the low thundering rumbles in the sky told Peridot that this was not going to be a pleasant walk home. Another memory from the morning resurfaced and she frowned as she realised that she would come home to an empty house. Again. Sure, she was used to it by now but being alone during a storm was something Peridot hated more than anything. She considered asking if she could stay round Amethysts, or at least get a lift home from Pearl, and almost groaned out loud when she remembered Amethyst had wrestling practice and would be staying on campus for a couple more hours. 

Peridot trudged sadly out of the classroom and along the corridor leading to the school entrance. A figure appeared beside her. Their hands brushed against one another accidentally as they walked. Her hands were warm. 

Lapis smiled warmly down at the blonde. A smile that was genuine but didn't seem to reach her eyes. "Whats with the long face, 'dot?" She asked, adjusting the collar of her jacket.

The blonde pulled her hood up as they pushed open the doors and stepped out into the pouring rain. A gust of wind blew Peridit backwards just as an especially violent bout of rain drenched her face, covering her glasses in tiny droplets and making it harder to see where she was going. Lapis laughed heartily as she watched the girl stumble, reaching out to steady her. Peridot grumbled angrily.

"You okay there, kiddo?" She snorted as Peridot struggled to wipe the rain from her spectacles.

Peridot hummed angrily "does it look like I'm okay?" She asked sarcastically. Lapis shrugged. 

"Well, I gotta get going" the now damp blue haired girl said, jabbing a thumb behind her "can't be late for my bus y'know". Peridot nodded numbly. She watched Lapis disappear into the rain and only turned to walk away when she couldn't see her vibrant blue hair anymore. 

Her shoes squelched with each step she took. Peridot knew if her mother had been home she would've scolded her for getting so unecessarily wet. And probably for trekking water into the house too. Peridot found herself not caring much. Her mind was stuck on Lapis, as much as she hated to admit.

Fumbling through her pockets for her keys, she finally retrieved them and jammed them into the keyhole, twisting and hearing the satisfying click of the door being unlocked. She slipped in and locked the door behind her, careful not to let any of the rain blow in. Peridot slipped off her shoes and decided to deal with them after she got changed into something warm and dry. Taking off her socks and hoodie and throwing them into the washing machine, she walked up the stairs, made a stop at her bedroom to grab some clothes then entered the bathroom. 

It was warm in the bathroom, and Peridot silently thanked her mother for keeping the house warm for her when she got back. She put the rest of her wet clothes on a radiator to dry and stepped into the shower to rub off the grime that gad been building up after a few days of neglect. Once satisfied with her own cleanliness she dried herself, put on a baggy green shirt, a matching pair of alien shorts, her fuzzy green socks and padded out of the bathroom with semi-dry hair and armfuls of wet clothing that needed washing. 

And finally, after scrounging up a meal of leftover curry from the night before, with a generous portion of rice and a tall glass of orange juice, she entered her rom and ate her meal on her soft bed, watching aimless YouTube videos and feeling pretty good about herself. 

She didnt notice the ink going up her arm, too preoccupied in the Let's Play she was intently watching. 

With her curtains shut tight and the covers pulled up to her shoulders, she fell asleep listening to the light rain tapping against her window. She dreampt of a beautiful girl with shockingly blue hair that night, although she would never admit that in person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [END OF ACT 1]


	9. Intermission I part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Intermissions are gonna be used for backstory stuff!!!

Lapis felt like she was going to throw up. She swallowed thickly and tried not to think about what had just transpired mere seconds ago. Her body throbbed in pain, her heart ached, her eyes stung as fresh tears formed in the corners. Her cheek was a bright angry red from where a large hand had connected with the soft flesh. This was new. She normally never hurt her. Or at least physically. Lapis squeezed her eyes shut and let out a dry sob. A hand clasped against her mouth, trembling as she slowly turned towards the door. No sound. She hadnt heard. Eyes clouded over in pain and wet with tears drifted over to her arm. The telltale scrawlings of ink she knew wasn't her own unleashed another wave of sickness and she turned to the toilet and dry-heaved into it. 

She just couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that fate had fucked her over this badly. There was no way this ever could've happened and yet, here she was, standing in a grand bathroom, head bent over the toilet, her mouth open, trying to get rid of the feeling building up in her stomach but nothing was coming out. 

"Lazuli? You okay in there?" Her voice was soft and a light tap on the wood told her cowering form that she was on the other side. Her large mass was leaning against the door, Lapis could hear the wood groaning under her weight. The smaller girl crawled to the back of the room and sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, her eyes never leaving the door. It was locked, she reminded herself. She was safe. 

"Lapis c'mon" the voice was visibly straining itself. Forcing out a sweet instead of the gravelly one Lapis was so used to. "I didn't mean what I said. You know that. You know me". 

Lapis opened her mouth to answer but her voice was stuck in her throat. She let out a whimper instead. Her cheek throbbed in angry pain. 

The voice grew more and more poisonous. The words and swears spat out hit Lapis like a tonne of bricks, chipping away at her self esteem bit by bit. "Listen here you bitch" a loud bang that shook the door on its hinges and made Lapis flinch violently proceeded. "If you don't open up right now, I'm going ro force my way in".

Biting back a fresh set of tears, Lapis finally stood on her wobbly legs and stumbled towards the sink. She turned the tap on and watched as the cold water ran down the sink and into the drains, mesmerised by its movement. Another loud knock shook her out of her little daze and she spun around to call back a "give me a minute" before cupping her hands and filling them with the fresh water. She splashed her face and tried to ease her swollen cheek. Red hot pain met ice cold water and she immediately felt a little better. Next, she rolled up her sleeves and took as much soap as her hands would allow, rubbing it along her arms until the ink seemed to fade a little from her tanned skin. She was amazed at how quickly it faded- usually another soulmates markings couldn't be washed off until said soulmate did it themselves. Lapis didn't think too much about it, shrugging it off as her being lucky. Or to her being a lost cause. 

Drying her face and arms with a towel, she hid her bare arms with the sleeves of her hoodie and unlocked the door. It was immediately opened from the other side, and was slammed against the far wall. Lapis tried not to let her discomfort show as she sneered at the taller girl. 

"Good job almost breaking the door again, dumbass" she growled as she stepped off the tiled bathroom flooring. Her bare feet were met with scratchy carpet and her frown deepend. Lapis had never liked staying here. It always felt too big. Too....dirty. Too uncomfortable. 

The shadow loomed over her tiny figure. Apricot skin graced with the former pen markings Lapis had once bared. Her eyes lingered on the markings, wondering why they hadn't disappeared yet. Her hand reached to her sleeve to check her own arm but she paused upon realising that she didnt know. She didnt know Lapis had rubbed off the markings. And something was very very wrong. A feeling of dread settled deep in her gut, she tried not to let it show as the figure clecnched her fists and swore halfheartedly at Lapis. 

When the two had finally settled down, Lapis had opted to sit on the ratty sofa, which she was pretty sure was broken, and scroll through her pone absently whilst she heard the faint hum and clatter of some sort of meal being prepared. Lapis sat with one leg tucked underneath her and the other anxiously bouncing on the floor. Her eyes tried not to wander over to the kitchen. To the arms covered in ink. She set down her phone and slowly pulled up her own sleeve, exposing her small wrist. No ink. It had all been washed off. Something wasn't right. She thought back to the previous months. When their relationship had been in its first stages. Those hazel eyes had captivated her right from the start. And that smile. Lapis squirmed a little in her seat. Thats enough thinking about the past... She'd thought they'd been the perfect soulmates. She was wrong.

The smell of food wafting into the room made Lapis realise she hadn't eaten since last night and she stretched her sore limbs and staggered into the kitchen to try and steal some food. A hand smacked her arm lightly as she made a grab for some cheese. The growl that followed made her reel back. 

"Food will be done in 'ten, just wait a bit longer, okay Laz?" 

Lapis nodded mutely and crept back to her spot of the sofa. She hated that nickname. She hated their relationship. She hated that she seemed to be stuck with this brute for the rest of her life. With a hollow stomach and the feeling of rising bile in her throat, Lapis pulled up her sleeve once again. Bare. 

Maybe Lapis wasn't trapped in this hell forever. Maybe there was a way to escape. Maybe Jasper wasn't her soulmate after all. If only she'd known it was all a lie sooner. Then she'd be free. Then she could live her life normally without anyone judging her. Knowing what had happened. What Jasper did. Lapis squeezed her eyes shut, then forced her lips into a smile as Jasper brought out two steaming plates of food. The taller woman smiled back.


	10. Intermission I part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't like this chapter a whole lot but it had to be done. Act 2 coming out soon!!!

It had been two weeks since Lapis had noticed something was wrong. Two weeks of washing off any ink that had appeared on her arm, even when Jaspers would stay on for the rest of the day. Lapis had also noticed that when she drew on her own arm, sometimes it never transferred onto Jaspers. And that was when she finally figured out what was happening. She felt stupid, so stupid but back then she'd been too blinded by Jaspers beauty to truly care about what was happening to her. She'd really thought they were soulmates. And the whole school tbought so too. They'd started off so happy! 

Lapis remembered the times when they'd walk down the corridors with hands intertwined, and people would look at them and smile. Now they walked side by side. Sometimes Jaspers hands would brush against Lapis' arm or hand and she would reel back. Now all they got was concerned and confused stares. Lapis knew she had to get away somehow. To get out before it became even more toxic than it already was. She had a plan forming in her head. She had to make sure that Jasper had been faking it all along.  Her lips quirked up in a small smile as the jogged up the stairs to the art classrooms. 

Jasper had gone her seperate way to p.e so now was the perfect time to strike. It was a hot summers day, and Lapis knew school would be ending very soon so she didn't have long to break ties with Jasper before the break started. She'd figured that she could potentially break up with Jasper if she proved that the other girl had been faking the markings on her arm, and that was her only ticket out. After that Lapis knew things would be awkward, but she was staying round her aunts house back in Hawaii for a good majority of the break so she wouldn't need to speak or even look at Jaspers face until school started up once again. And when school started up again... then she'd think of something..anything to avoid confrontation with Jasper. 

The art classroom was cool and Lapis sighed happily as she took her seat next to the window. The fan at the front of the room hummed steadily, the noise muted by the sound of chatter coming from the other art students. Lapis pulled out her sketchbook and flipped through it until she got to a blank page. She was so glad it was almost the end of the year. During this time teachers were often too tired to really care what their students did and let them slack off to some degree. And Miss Opal was exactly the same. 

"Finish off your coursework" she waved her hand dismissively as she sat right infront of the fan in her light blouse and flowing skirt, typing away on her pastel coloured laptop. It was a very light statement left open up to interpretation. Most of her students had already completed the work. For them, Miss Opals words were just ger telling them to do whatever they wanted too as long as it didnt destroy the classroom. 

Lapis had already finished all of her work. She ducked over to the far end of the classroom to grab some paints before returning to her desk with them along with a tin of water. Lapis normally kept her own brushes in her bag, mostly because the school brushes were used by all the students and were, for lack or a better word, shit. The brushes were always clad in paint and were never washed properly. Honestly at this point Lapis had just given up on trying and brought in her own set. She picked up the biggest one in her collection and dipped it in a wad of green paint then began painting the page in her book with long strokes of her brush. After finishing that she wiped the excess paint from her hands and waited for the paint to dry. 

Her mind wandered over to Jasper. What was she doing now? Was she thinking about Lapis? Probably, Jasper seemed to be infatuated with her in some sick twisted way and it made her feel disgusting. The blue haired girl shuddered at the thought before going back to thumbing through her music playlists on her phone. Sticking her earbuds in her ears, she hit shuffle and focused on the drying paint before her. It was a hot, stuffy day and Lapis had no doubt that the paint would dry quickly. She absently drew on her hand as she reflected to past two weeks of her relationship with Jasper.

First of all, Lapis knew that something was wrong. And as soon as her little revelation began, something seemed to shift in their relationship. For better or for worse-lapis wasn't sure, but it did give her the opportunity to do a few...small experiments. At first it was just Lapis drawing on her arms and keeping a close eye on Jasper to see if those sketches were, in fact being transferred onto the girls lighter skin. It wasn't. Or at least, not quick enough. Then Lapis would cover her hands in flecks of paint. Once again, the reaction to Jaspers skin was either delayed or practically nonexistent. This fueled Lapis' suspicions, and after coming to the conclusion that Jasper was manipulating her, started to formulate a plan. 

Lapis picked at the dried paint on her fingertips and wondered if her true soulmate was annoyed at her for drawing on her skin so much. Had they even noticed? The lines had been so small. So thin. And even now the paint was fading off her fingertips at a relatively fast pace. What were they doing now. Why hadn't Lapis seen anything from them on her own skin? Did she even have a soulmate? So many questions and no answers. Lapis wasn't even sure she had a soulmate anymore. She didn't think she deserved one.

Once the paint on the thick paper of her sketchbook had finally dried, she started absently painting patterns onto the pages. The paint covered her fingers, and Lapis made sure not to wash it all off once the bell had rung, and everything needed to be put away. Lapis shoved her things into her bag and sauntered down the stairs of the main building and out onto campus. It was lunchtime now. Time to confront Jasper. She walked down the corridor leading to the canteen with an air of confindence to her. It fizzled a little when she stepped into the large room and locked eyes with Jasper. She was sitting at their usual table, tucked away in a corner beside the Media classrooms. Her thick arms were crossed over her chest, her fingers tapping on her tanned flesh. Lapis' expression remained neutral as she trudged over to the table and sat down opposite Jasper. Her bag was clumsily placed on a seat on top of her sketchbook. She took out her water bottle and drank from it whilst Jasper just absently glared at her. 

Okay, this was it, Lapis supposed. The moment of truth. Lapis flexed her fingers, pawing at the paint that still coated her hands. She noticed Jasper flinch, her eyes growing wide in panic. Lapis almost laugh. She'd caught her. 

"Hey, Jasper..." She asked, feigning innocence as she rubbed at the dry paint that had stuck to her skin. "Why havent you got any paint on your hands? I mean, I tried my best to wash it all off to save you the embarrassment but its surprisingly hard" she let out a forced laugh and watched as the colour drained from Jaspers face. She knew. 

The larger girls hazel eyes darted around the room. Lapis' statement had reached the ears of the group sitting on the table beside them, and they seemed to be throwing them wary glances and mumbling under their breath. Jasper spun back around to Lapis, her expression one of contained fury and fear. 

"L-lapis" she started, reaching out to cradle Lapis' paint covered hands in her own that were so strikingly bare. She knew she couldn't get out of this. The jig was up, and now all Lapis could do was call Jasper out on her bullshit to a good majority of the school and then run as fast as she could. "Lapis listen. I love you-"

Oh, so she was gonna try and manipulate her way out of this situation as well? Typical. Lapis used all her strength to pull her hands away from Jaspers grip. She succeeded, pulling her arms closer to her body and watching the larger grasp desperately in the air. 

"No. I dont want to hear it" Lapis stood up from her seat and got ready to grab her stuff and leave. She could feel faces turn her way. This was it. "If you really loved me then you wouldnt have tried to manipulate me!" More people spun around to watch. Teachers patrolling the room got ready to interfere. "And I guess its partly my fault for being so naive and playing your little game, but now I know the truth".

"We were never soulmates and we never will be" she finished loudly, her fists clenched in unbridled rage.

The room was completely silent save for the bated breathing of Lapis' angry form. No one dared to speak. No one dared to move. Jasper was frozen in place, her eyes wide. Eyes that Lapis had once found attractive but now only made her feel sick. She spun on her heel and stormed out. 

"Lapis!-" 

She didnt turn around at the voice. It sounded desperate. Pleading. Lapis knew it was all over now. It was over for Jasper. Their relationship had never been a pretty one, and a lot of people knew that. But someone managing to fake being someone elses soulmate was considered the lowest of the low. It not only damaged the people involved, but also said peoples actual soulmates. All in all it was a horrible thing to do and Lapis hoped Jasper would get what she deserved. 

Lapis wondered what her real soulmate was doing. Surely they weren't going through anything as terrible as this? She really hoped not. 

The bell rang just as she exited the corridor, and she shook her head and started to walk towards her drama class. Her shoulder bumped into the small quivering frame of a shorter girl with fluffy blonde hair. She absently noted that she was carrying an ice pack, delicately holding it over her cheek. What she didnt notice was that her fingers were covered in green paint as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [END OF INTERMISSION I]


	11. Act 2 - Scene 1: Toilet Paper

Peridot absently poked at the computer mouse, her unfocused eyes unwilling to cooperate with her tired brain. The bright screen that sat before her made her eyes ache and she rubbed at them with the palms of her hands in an attempt to soothe the pain. Her leg throbbed as she rearranged it so it was propped up on her bag. The sore skin around the plastic covering of the prosthetic felt itchy and sore. She groaned and leant forward to get closer to the screen. Her vision became blurry as her eyes unfocused once again. Her brain felt like mush and she growled low in her throat as she squeezed her eyes shut in the hopes that it would solve something.

It was first period and, as much as Peridot enjoyed computer science, her constant internal pain was making it very difficult. Peridot had walked to school in a bright yellow raincoat her mother insisted she wear despite it only being a light drizzle, and she'd stuffed it angrily in her bag as soon as she'd stepped out of the house. This had made her bag slightly heavier and Peridot felt the strain on her skinny shoulders the entire walk to school. She knew her mother had done it because she cared but Peridot was tired and grumpy from lack of sleep and had lashed out. So in conclusion; Peridot was not having a very good day. 

The blonde closed down the coding programme on her screen then turned off her monitor. This helped her eyes a little and she moved her chair back to grab her water bottle from her bag. She silently slipped outside the classroom and gulped down as much water as she could without throwing up then sat on the floor and pressed her face against the cold wall in an attempt to ease her growing migraine. This went on until another student stepped out and gave her a funny look before jogging down the corridor. 

The rest of the period went painfully slow. Peridot could barely work and absently tapped at her keyboard in the hopes that it at least looked like she was doing something. But in reality her mind was racing. What if she just skipped next period and slept somewhere? Would anyone notice? Probably not, Peridot wasn't a very well known student so no one would come looking for her.

Her mind drifted back even further to the main reason she had not slept well in a while. That being the notorious Lapis Lazuli. Peridot wasn't too sure how long it had been since the two had become friends. Could she call themselves friends yet? Acquaintances? Well, whatever they were, it had been around two months and Peridot was beginning to have a hard time getting the blue haired girl out of her head. It started off as curiousity; Peridot had never talked to Lapis before now and was curious about her ties with Jasper and the role she played in school. Peridot knew she was considered popular, and she'd heard her fair share of people gushing about how pretty she was. Peridot had gotten lucky.

But soon enough whenever she'd think about Lapis she always felt...different. Funny, in a way. Something she had never felt. Or at least, not felt for a long time. Sure, Peridot had had crushes on girls before, and this had increased greatly when she found out she was gay. But not like this. Nothing had ever felt like this before. She felt like she'd known Lapis her entire life. Like they were connected in some way. Peridot had reluctantly admitted to herself that she was falling for Lapis. Hard. 

The bell went off in its usual monotone shrill and Peridot began to familiar, almost robotic routine of packing away her work and slipping on her bag. She waited until the rest of her class had gone before exiting and turning down the hallway in search of a place to rest her increasingly dropping eyelids. She figured she could probably miss philosphy. It wasnt like the lesson was hard or anything, and she knew a bunch of people in her class who she was on friendly enough terms with. She'd copy their notes. Now she needed to rest. 

Peridot had never truly been this tired before. But talking to Lapis until early in the morning and her constant mental battle about her true feelings for the girl was beginning to wear her out. That and the fact that her mother had been getting off from work later and later and the sound of the door slamming shut followed by the sound of her heels clicking against the wooden flooring in the front hallway always managed to pull her away from sleep. The blonde started walking in the opposite direction to the location of her philosphy classroom, head down, brushing past kids of all sizes as she stumbled along. Her mind was going a mile a minute, her heart thundering in her chest, tightening in anxiety. She was skipping class, something she'd never done before. But she knew that sleeping during class wasn't an option. Sure, her teacher was a sweet older woman who was very passionate about her subject but she wouldn't let her sleep. 

Her mind wandered over to the places she could go to rest. Maybe an empty clasroom? No, too risky. Canteen? Maybe if she disguised herself as one of the older students she could rest at one of the tables near to back? But what if she was recognised?  Maybe in a bathroom stall? It sounded gross but no one would question it if they saw it was locked. No one would intervene. Barely anyone used the bathrooms during lessons anyways. She nodded to herself and ducked through the bathroom door just as the crowds of students started the thin. 

Peridot chose the stall furthest away from the door and locked the door. The stall itself was fairly small with not a lot of free space to move around it. She sighed and reluctantly closed the tiolet lid and awkwardly sat upon it with her knees drawn up to her chest. Man, this was a bad idea, she thought to herself as she struggled to find a comfortable position. She grumbled to herself and closed her eyes, hoping she'd just fall asleep and hopefully not wake up on the filthy floor. Sleep overtook her quickly and she dozed off. 

The sound of the door being opened up quickly and then slammed shut made Peridots eyes open involuntarily. A short sob followed the noise and the blondes heart sunk. She slowly stretched her tired limbs, satisfied with the amount of sleep she'd managed to achieve even though it was enough. Her shoulder clicked loudly as she moved her arms upwards and she froze. And so did the person on the other side. 

"H-hello?" The voice was thick and wet with tears but also held an angry tone. She heard toilet paper being pulled out of the dispenser from the stall beside hers. The person blew their nose, and seemed to wipe the tears from their cheeks before flushing the toilet and knocking on Peridots door. "Is anyone in there? Come out!"

Peridot could still hear the tears in her voice. She quietly scrunched up some paper and unlocked to door. It swung open slowly and Peridot took a shaky step out. Her eyes met with familiar grey. They widened. She almost dropped the paper in her hands in her shock.

"Lapis?!"


	12. Act 2 - Scene 2: Amethyst

"Holy shit how is it only Tuesday?" Lapis grumbled from her bed as she moved over to turn her alarm off. She'd gotten used to waking up early for school but that didn't mean she liked it. Not one bit. Especially since Monday had dragged on for way too long. Lapis was excited to spend the weekend relxing on her bed and binging netflix shows until she passed out. But apparently she'd have to wait another four days for that to happen. 

She managed to lift herself from the comfort of her blanket cocoon with a small grunt and stretched before taking a shower and picking out some clothes. As she picked up her bag and stumbled down the stairs her mind went back to the one person she could never seem to stop thinking about. Peridot.  The tiny girl had seemed to steal her heart and she wasn't sure how to feel about it. Lapis still wasn't entirely sure she was over Jasper. Yes, she hated her with a passion after the stunt she had pulled, but she still seemed to be drawn to her. Even after their fight, Jasper had come to her and apologised quietly, and Lapis had felt a sense of relief wash over her being. Maybe Jasper was changing. She hoped so.

There was a light layer of rain outside but not enough for Lapis to pull up the hood of her jacket. It came down in tiny bullets, hitting her face and her exposed hands as she fiddled with her phone. The bus had arrived just as she'd gotten to her usual stop and after a short journey, she had arrived at school with a few minutes to spare.   
She had drama first period. Lapis liked to think she was good at it. Lapis liked to think she was good at a lot of things. The classroom was almost empty when she arrived so she waited until a few familiar faces appeared before entering herself. It was custom to take off your shoes in a drama room, and Lapis kicked off her own and threw it into the growing pile of footwear located at the back of the room. Her socked feet hit the carpeted floor and she padded over to sit down and watch the rest of the students file in. 

Drama had been surprisingly popular subject. There were currently three seperate classes for the people in her year and they often rotated classrooms to make it more fair. This time she was in the more spacious one, with a wide carpeted floor and miscellaneous props strewn haphazardly to the sides of the room.

Lapis smiled as Sadie walked in with a tall red haired boy she'd learnt to call Lars. They took of their shoes and sat at the back, mumbling to themselves. Next came a tangle of lilac coloured hair that bounced happily into the room. Dark eyes gazed around the room and finally landed on Lapis. Thick lips were pulled into a smug smile that Lapis didn't like one bit.

The familiarity of the girl didn't hit her until she approached. She vaguely recalled seeing her with Peridot. And suddenly the smug look on her face was apparent. Lapis didn't know her name but remembered Peridot mentioning it once or twice. She was sure she knew Lapis' name, though.

"Mind if I sit?" She asked politely, a lazy smile on her face.

"Yeah of course" Lapis nodded and shuffled over a little so the other girl could sit beside her. 

She turned towards Lapis, her coloured hair bouncing as she moved. Her dark eyes met with Lapis' own grey ones, a friendly but mischievous smile on her chubby face.

"Im Amethyst" she grinned and held out a hand that Lapis timidly shook. 

"Lapis. But I suppose you already knew that" her statement caused Amethyst to laugh and she nodded her head rapidly.

"Of course I know who you are! peridot will not fucking shut up about you".

Lapis felt her cheeks warm up. This caused Amethyst to laugh even harder. They chattered for a while longer until the class was silenced and assignments were handed out. The pair stuck together and talked more as they filled in their details on the front of their new coursework booklets. Talking to Amethyst was a nice change from the usual droning conversations she had with her other peers on a daily basis. The short girl was very charming, cracking jokes and making funny comments. She even relayed a few stories about her and Peridots pazt adventures. It was obvious that she cared about the girl very deeply. She wondered if they were soulmates. The thought was gone in seconds. 

Under the steady hum of the classroom, Amethysts face fell and her expression turned serious as she looked up from doodling on her work. Lapis sat rigid, unsure of how to act now that the mood had changed so suddenly. Amethyst closed her eyes and let out a deep breath.

"Lapis I'm really sorry about asking you this" she watched as Lapis' reluctant smile fell from her face and she struggled to continue "I know its hard to talk about your past with Jasper. I know it probably goes deeper than I think it does but I need to know that you're done with her. That you'll never.." She hesitated, trying to pull out the right words "date her. Or just be friends with her, honestly. I know how toxic she can be".

Lapis was left speechless. Her eyes were wide, her expression one of doubt and fear. She was scared, terrified even, because she didn't know the answer to that question. 

"I..uh" she opened her mouth to speak but she was panicking. Why? This was so stupid! Why did she have to act like this every time her name was mentioned? Why she she so stupid? Why couldn't she just get away? She could still feel Jaspers iron grip around her arm. The chains around her chest, holding her to the other girl by sheer force. "I'm not sure" she mumbled. Part of her mind still believed that Jasper could change. 

Amethyst seemed to reel back, a look of uncertainty on her face. "What?"

"I-I don't know" she was shaking. Her arm started to throb, the pen marks ached on her skin. She dug her fingernails into the soft flesh.

"I'm sorry I have to go".

She stood up faster than her brain could comprehend and didn't bother grabbing her things before bolting out the door. Amethyst sighed shakily to herself as she watched Lapis' retreating form. A feel of dread welled deep inside her. She feared that Peridot would get hurt. 

Lapis couldn't stop the tears from falling down her rosy cheeks and she hated it. Crying had always made her feel weak. Defenseless. Worthless. Her socked feet slid against the smooth flooring, she immediately regretted not picking up her shoes but it was too late. She ducked into the closest bathroom and grabbed as much toilet paper as she could. She proceeded to wipe at the face viciously until her eyes were sore and her cheeks were red. 

A click sounded from one of the stalls. She froze up and sniffled a little. Someone was shuffling on the other side of the stall, the sound of shoes tapping against the floor made her let out an involuntary "h-hello?" She waited for a response, annoyed that she'd been caught, angry at herself for showing weakness. 

There was no response so she disposed of the wad of paper before tentatively knocking on the stall door. It swung open and revealed a very disheveled Peridot holding a handful of paper in one tiny hand. Her green eyes widened and her face blanched. She shoved the paper into Lapis' hands and stepped fully out of the stall.

"Lapis?" Her voice wavered. "Are you okay?"

The blue haired girl shook her head and let out another dry sob. She buried her face in the paper and felt two warm hands rest themselves on her shoulders. Peridot led them to a corner near the sinks where Lapis slid down the wall and sat hunched with her knees drawn up. The blonde crouched beside her, worry etched into her features.

"Whats wrong? Do you want to talk about it?" She asked softly, rubbing Lapis' shoulders and managing the calm her shaking frame.

"Its nothing really" she answered. Peridot raised a brow. "Its silly" she tried again. 

"C'mon, I'm not gonna laugh".

Lapis managed to calm herself down enough to speak clearly although her heart was still beating painfully fast and her mind kept going back to the subject of her distress, wich in turn worsened the lump in her throat. 

"It's about Jasper. I had drama with Amethyst. A-and we started talking. Then all of a sudden she started questioning me about her and I just...couldn't handle it. I'm sorry-"

She hadn't noticed Peridot flinch at the name. She hadn't noticed the look of fear. But she smiled a little when Peridots hands landed on her chin and gently brought her face up to look into her tired eyes. "You don't need to apologise for anything, Amethyst was just being a dick and I'm definitely going to have a word with her later" Peridot said sternly. Lapis smiled.

"Thanks. I appreciate that".

"And just so you know, I think you're really fucking brave for standing up to Jasper and doing what you did. Not everyone can do that. I should know" her face fell for a fraction of a second before her lips quirked up into another dorky smile. "I admire that about you".

The tension drained out of Lapis' shoulders at the blondes words. She believed every single word Peridot had said and it made her chest feel a little lighter knowing that someone cared about her. Beside her, Peridots close presence warmed her and she felt herself leaning forward against her will. Her arm tingled and unlike the dull ache she had felt before, this felt nice. Natural. She felt Peridot lean in too. Their foreheads touched together and they both grinned. 

It felt like an eternity until Lapis closed her eyes and shifted so their lips could conne-

The shrill sound of the bell ripped them apart at the speed of light, leaving them both blushing and stuttering messes. The shared a look before standing up and walking out of the bathroom as nonchalantly as possible.


	13. Act 2 - Scene 3: Number

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!! Friendly reminder that if you want to ask any questions about this fic (or anything else) my [Ask Box](http://tricktolife.tumblr.com/) is always open!!!

The hallways were packed full of students rushing to the canteen to buy food by the time the pair had emerged from the bathroom. Peridot almost got knocked over by a kid almost twice her size and Lapis laughed as she steadied herself. The blondes face was beet red by the time they'd gotten out of the crowd. 

"Thanks again. For all that" Lapis said once they were outside. Her eyes were still a little red from crying, and her voice was raspy but she was smiling. It felt like a weight had been lifted off her chest. Who knew spending time in a school bathroom with your crush would help you so much. And...almost kissing her helped a little too.

Peridot shrugged as if it were nothing although she could tell that she was still a little troubled. Lapis figured it was because of what Amethyst had said and hoped it wouldnt ruin their friendship. She was fine, really! She just needed to let out all that bottled up emotion she didnt know she'd been holding in. Her eyes drifted downwards as her feet met with the cold damp pathway and she sighed as she realised she wasn't wearing any shoes. Peridot followed her gaze and snorted at what she saw. The blue haired girls shark themed socks were on full view and Peridot was enjoying every second of her flustered explanation. 

"C'mon let's go grab your stuff and get some food" the smaller girl gently held her hand and guided her back towards the drama rooms. Lapis felt her cheeks grown warm at the contact. Her arm felt like it was burning but she didn't pull back and let Peridot pull her forward. 

The weather had grown colder and colder as the months passed. It was around mid November and the air held an icy chill to it. Many students were inside the buildings, huddled together for warmth. The threat of snow hung in the air, and with it the hope of a few days off school. Mock exams were fast approaching but all Lapis could really think about right now was the hand intertwined with hers and the dampness beginning to seep into the fabric of her socks. 

They arrived in the drama room only to find it unlocked and the door propped open by Lapis' bag. No teacher was inside so Lapis took her time slipping on her shoes and grabbing her bag before she turned back around to the waiting Peridot. 

"Hey, I never asked you why you were in the bathroom" she said and almost laughed as Peridots face turned impossibly redder. 

"I was uhh" she rubbed the back of her neck and followed behind Lapis as she continued to walk "I haven't been sleeping that well the past couple days so I figured I could skip second and take a nap. You actually woke me up" she finished, obviously embarrassed.

Lapis nodded along with her tale. "Okay, that's understandable. But I have one question" Peridot nodded although her face indicated that she knew what question would follow. "Why did you pick a bathroom stall to sleep in? I'm sure there are plenty of other places". The blonde sighed. 

"Look. I was just really tired and it was the first place I thought of. Plus, no one goes in there during the first couple periods anyways so I was completely safe!" 

"Except for me" Lapis added cheekily. Peridot rolled her eyes. 

"Except for you".

They scambled over to the canteen and grabbed some food before the third period bell went off and they walked together up to the art rooms in a comfortable silence. Well, as comfortable as two people almost kissing could be. 

The almost-kiss replayed itself through Peridots mind as she took her seat in front of Lapis' desk and slowly took out her sketchbook. At the front of the class, Miss Opal droned on about something Peridot didn't care about and instead focused on the back of Lapis head. She imagined the other girls soft lips against her own. Her hands in her hair, ruffling it up at the kiss deepened into something more intimate- The blonde shook her head in an attempt to get rid of those thoughts but the damage had already been done. She blushed a deep red and intead tried to focus on what the teacher was writing on the board. 

She thought about what Lapis had said before they had almost kissed. Something about Amethyst trying to get her to talk about Jasper? Why would she do that? Surely she knew how Lapis felt about her by now, and that it was still a very touchy subject? But part of her, a voice that had managed to slip through the cloud of anger and frustration, told her that Amethyst was only doing it to protect her. Protect her from her own past with Jasper, the girl who had pretty much ruined her life, and Lapis' too. 

The lesson went on without any disruptions. Coursework was set, work was being done in relative silence. Peridot struggled not to think about the blue haired girl sitting in front of her and failed. She spluttered and almost choked on the water she was sipping when Lapis turned around and smiled at her. God she just wanted to kiss her right then but instead she smiled back and tried not to think about her her obvious blush. 

But if Lapis saw it she wasn't saying anything and honestly, Peridot was very grateful for that. One quick look over at her desk told the blonde that she was much further on their work than she was and she internally groaned and hoped she wouldn't fall too far behind. Because she knew that if she did she'd lose all motivation to finish it and she really needed at least a C in art if she wanted to go to a good college. She figured if it came to that she could always ask Lapis for help. The girl asked her for a pencil sharpener and turned back around.

Peridot mindlessly started to scribble stuff down in her sketchbook as she thought about Lapis. She wondered if she could ever date the girl. But what if she finds her soulmate? Came a voice in the back of her mind. What if she's not happy with you? What if she hates you? 

What if she finds out about your leg? That you're a freak?

The blonde shuddered and tried not to think about it. Tried not to think about the plastic strapped to what used to be her leg. The pain she'd gone through. She didn't feel whole anymore but she also didn't want to burden Lapis with her problems. Lapis had her own problems to deal with she didn't need another one on top of her own growing pile.

Did she even deserve Lapis? 

Peridot was suprised at how dark her mind had turned and tried to ignore the anxiety ebbing in her chest. She took in a deep, controlled breath and continued to work. 

The bell went soon after and she quickly packed away her things and mentally prepared herself for the science lesson she now had to suffer through. She kicked her chair back under her desk and was about to leave when a warm hand landed on her shoulder and she spun around. Lapis smiled down at her and her heart thumped happily in her chest. Her dark hand squeezed her shoulder and the other handed her a slip of paper. The blue haired girl winked at her as she left, leaving Peridot an awkward sweaty mess and one of the last students to leave the room.

She scurried off to her Biology class, her fist tight around the paper, only opening it up when she was safely in her seat and was sure no one was looking. Carefully, she unraveled the paper to reveal several crudely written numbers. Peridots face reddened for the millionth time this day when she realised what it was. 

She'd just gotten Lapis' number.


	14. Act 2 - Scene 4: Aliens

After giving Peridot her number, Lapis had scurried off as fast as she could, her face red and her palms impossibly sweating. She hoped Peridot would get the message. She hoped she would text her. The blue haired girl rubbed her warm cheeks and turned into the science block, trying not to think about her small blonde friend and how adorable she was. 

This was crazy, she kept telling herself. It was crazy that she had fallen for someone so quickly although it honestly felt as if she'd known Peridot for years rather than just a couple of months. She wondered if she was moving too fast with this. She wondered if Peridot actually liked her like that. 

Lapis still wasnt sure how to feel or what to do about her current situation. On one hand, Peridot was very sweet and shy and nothing like Jasper at all so Lapis trusted her, on the other hand she wasn't sure if she was ready for another relationship or whatever this was. She liked Peridot a lot but she was still trying to fix herself after the whole Jasper debacle and she didn't want to stress the girl out. She seemed to be caught in an endless loop of worrying. She was scared that Peridot didn't like her. She was also scared that Peridot actually did like her. She was terrified of Jasper finding out. 

Peridot seemed to have a past with Jasper although Lapis didn't know how or why. She was afraid to ask about her past relationship with the brute, worried that she'd shy away and not speak to her again. She was scared of so many things. She was scared to lose Peridot. 

The science classroom was half full when she stepped in and made her way to the corner. She met eyes with Jasper, who was thankfully a few tables down from her, before looking away and continuing on with her jumbled thoughts. If Jasper found out about her feelings for Peridot...she wasn't sure what would happen but she was certain nothing good would come from it. Jasper had always treated her like she owned her and it had made Lapis feel trapped. But with Peridot she didn't feel that way. The blonde gave her room, understood if she didn't want to talk and listened to her dumb rants. The blonde was perfect. But did she deserve her? 

That thought had crossed her mind a lot during her developing friendship with the blonde. Peridot was such a sweet girl who cared very deeply about her friends and Lapis was just this dumb semi-popular girl who was struggling with her own declining mental health. She was a mess and she wasn't sure why Peridot had stuck around for as long as she had. The first thought that had popped into her head was soulmate, but she quickly shook that off and refused to look back. There was no way Peridot was her soulmate right? She was just the quiet introvert who sat at the back of her art class and her new friend...nothing else. Lapis didn't deserve someone as great as Peridot to be her soulmate.

She felt another tingling sensation on her arm and scratched at the spot absently as she got up from her seat to grab a textbook. She felt Jaspers eyes following her as she picked up the book and carried it back, slamming it onto the table and opening it up to find the right page. They were doing an astrology unit in physics and Lapis actually wanted to do well in it becuase she'd always been interested in space. She had several astronomy books at home and late at night she'd creep out of her window and sit on the roof and look at the stars as she read them. She wondered if Peridot liked space as much as she did. She hoped so. 

Lapis didn't realise she'd been smiling as she sat and worked from the textbook until she saw Jasper pass and scoff at her. She looked up, ready to tell her to back off but found that her beautiful hazel eyes were once again locked onto her arm. She followed her gaze and almost forgot about the girl standing before her when she saw the cute doodles on her arm. Doodles of little badly drawn aliens surrounded by stars, planets and a few constellations that Lapis could name off the top of her head. There were also drawings of cryptids; what looked like mothman and several other creatures Lapis didn't recognise. And she felt her face lift and her smile appear back on her face as she watched the ink appear on her arm, mesmerised. 

Now she new several things about her soulmate. One was that they couldn't draw to save their life. Another that they were interested in space, and cryptids, which was good. And the last was that they were a massive fucking nerd. Jasper had seemed to storm off after that and Lapis let out a quiet chuckle and went on with her work, occasionally peeking at the masterpiece on her arm. She thought back to Peridot often, recalling that the blonde had enjoyed talking about aliens whenever they sat alone together at lunch. She remembered her excited rambling, speaking so fast she often tripped over her own words in her hurry to let it all out. She remembered finding it adorable, even if she was mostly focusing on the girl and not her words. She wondered what Peridots soulmate would be like.

She had given Peridot her number at the very last minute of class, something she'd been debating with herself about for the entire lesson. She'd just swallowed her fear and handed her the paper before running off, too scared to see her reaction. Terrified of denial. She figured she wouldn't hear back until later, if not at all. She hoped Peridot would text her. Not because she liked her like that or anything...she just needed a friend to talk to. Yeah. 

Lapis had conflicting feelings about the cute blonde girl from her art class. She liked her a lot and may or may not have had developed a tiny crush on her. But she was scared of rejection. Or scared that Peridot would leave her once she found her true soulmate. And these lingering fears were putting her off confessing anything to the blonde which in turn made her feel sick. She didn't know what to do. She figured she had until the school year ended to act on anything.

Lunch rolled around fairly quickly and Lapis made sure to slip her jacket on and roll down the sleeves before heading out to her and Peridots usual meeting place. She spotted her friends fluffy blonde hair from across the room. She was huddled into a corner, talking quietly to Amethyst. Lapis froze. Peridot looked serious, her eyes downcast, neutral expression on her freckled face. Amethyst nodded along, her shoulders slumped. She looked upset. Apologetic. Maybe they were talking about the whole Jasper thing. Yeah, she should definitely not interfere with that.

Lapis spun around and walked out, a little upset that she didnt get to talk to Peridot more but still greatful that she cared enough to talk to Amethyst about what she had said. And honestly, she really hoped that the blonde would text her after school. She strode down the corridors until she was outside the building. The light rain hit her and she smiled. Everything was going to be okay, she mused. Rolling up her sleeve, she stared down at the art on her arm. She smiled. Yeah, it'll be okay.


	15. Act 2 - Scene 5: Steven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating in a while I hope this long ass chapter makes up for it :")

The familiar ear-piercing shrill of the bell cut throught Peridots hazy thoughts like a knife. She slowly gathered up her things and stretched before burying her hands deep into the pockets of her jacket and following her classmates out of the room. She turned right and exited to main building through a set of double doors. Before her was a long pathway leading to the school entrance and she slowly made her way down it as she dug further into her pockets in search of her phone. 

Her fingers brushed against paper and Peridot faltered for a few seconds, remembering what it was. She had stuffed it deep into her pocket after art and completely forgotten about it until now. Her cheeks darkened as she slowly pulled it out and read the numbers. Lapis had given Peridot her number. The blonde still couldn't believe it! 

With the paper hidden in one fist, she used her free hand to find her phone. She took out her headphones and slid them back into her pocket before opening up the device and thumbing over her embarrassingly short contact list. But before she could add a new contact a voice called out her name and her head shot up.

"Hey Peri!! Over here" it was Amethyst, shouting at her friend from the other side of the road and waving her arms around madly. 

Peridot smiled and waved back, crossing the road to reach her friend. As soon as her feet hit the pathway, Amethyst grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her out of the gates. Peridot could only stumble along and try not to let go of the precious phone in her hand. She fastened her pocket so the paper wouldn't slip out due to all the sudden movement and wriggled out of her friends grip as she slowed to a stop. 

The pair were going back to Amethysts house as Peridot's mother would not be returning home that night and Amethyst insisted she stay with her instead. Peridot had reluctantly agreed. But only because she knew that if she'd stayed at her own house she probably wouldn't have eaten anything. Or at least anything healthy. Amethyst had texted Pearl during lunch and had gotten permission from to let Peridot stay the night. 

A beat up silver car pulled up infront of the pair. It looked old but well taken care of, the exterior was well worn but still of good quality and the interior was clean and smelt faintly of roses. Amethyst was the one to open the door and wait for Peridot to slide into the back before jumping into the middle seat and doing up her belt. Pearl, a pale spindly woman in her mid twenties, cut off the ignition and turned around towards the two girls. Her papercut lips pulled into a thin smile, her baby blue eyes were as warm as ever. 

"How was school today, girls?" Her voice was smooth and held a maternal tone to it. She rest her arm on the headrest of her seat and adjusted her seatbelt so she could turn her attention directly on the pair of teens. 

"It was okay I guess" Amethyst rolled her eyes but something portrayed that she was still thinking about what she'd said to Lapis. Of course, she felt guilty and had apologised more times than necessary, and Peridot forgave her for that. She just hoped Lapis would too. Seeing her crush and best friend hate each other would be hell. 

Her friends expression shifted and her dark eyes gleamed with mischief. "Buut, I heard that Peri here skipped second period" she jabbed a chubby thumb towards the blonde, who's face immedietly turned red. "She was probably making out with Lapis or something". Her face darkened.

"Who's Lapis?" Pearl asked cheekily. 

"Just some girl" Peridot spluttered out, her words almost tumbling over each other as she tried to fix what Amethyst had implied. "She's not important. Lets change the subject". 

Amethyst laughed at her flustered friend in glee and Peridot noticed Pearl chuckle knowingly behind her slim hand. Honestly she was still a little surprised that Pearl had skipped over the missing second period part but Peridot was sure she'd get a lecture from the woman later on. 

"She's not just 'some girl', Peri" apparently Amethyst didn't want to change the subject. "Lapis Lazuli is the school sweetheart with a bad relationship history. She went out with this dick last year and it kinda fucked her up" she went on to explain. 

"Oh" Pearl replied quietly. Her eyes darted over to Peridot. 

"Uhh yeah" the blonde comfirmed with a nod. "But thats really none of your business though, is it?" she directed towards Amethyst. 

There was a short silence where Amethyst seemed to back off and Pearl turned back around to fiddle with something Peridot couldn't quite see. 

The car door opened and a young boy slipped inside next to Amethyst, who ruffled his hair in greeting. Pearl squawked out a quick 'hello' before starting the car and pulling out onto the road. 

"How was your day, Ste-man" Amethyst asked.

"It was really good!!" He replied with enthusiasm Peridot could only wish to have. "Today we got to dissect a lung in biology, it was really cool!!" He chirped happily. 

"Gross" the blonde mumbled, tapping absently at her phone. She stuck her hand in her pocket and wrapped her fingers around the crumpled piece of paper. She wonered if she could get away with adding Lapis' number without Amethyst finding out. Impossible. 

Stevens eyes widened as he recognised the familiar nasally voice of his small friend. He immedietly leant forward, much to Pearls protest, and waved happily at the girl who was not paying attention at all. 

"Peridot!! Hi!"

"Hello, Steven". 

The boy beamed and adjusted himself so he sat comfortably back in his seat. Amethyst yawned loudly next to the pair and stretched her chubby arms, almost hitting Peridot on the side of the head. 

"Hey, Steven" she said and the boy hummed in confirmation "do you know who Lapis Lazuli is?" 

"Lapis? Yeah I know her!" He replied and Amethyst snorted as Peridots head shot up in interest. From the front of the car, Pearl rolled her eyes but said nothing. 

"You do?" Now Peridots attention was on the short chubby boy sitting next to her purple haired friend. 

Steven nodded "yup" he popped the p "she arrived back from Hawaii like a week before school started back I think. I saw her out surfing one morning when I went to grab some donuts and asked her if she could teach me! We've been friends ever since".

"So she can surf" Peridot mumbled mostly to herself. Lapis had never mentioned that but she recalled the girl having a fondness for the ocean so she figured it was quite obvious. 

"Yeah she's really good" Stevens excitememt seemed to grow "she taught me the basics but said that it was too late to start teaching me so she's going to do it next summer!!"

The young boy chattered his way through the car ride. First he spoke about Lapis; how amazing she was at swimming, her cool hair, her awful jokes. Then it turned to Connie, a girl he'd met last year at achool and had become inseperable with ever since. Peridot couldn't help but smile at that. They were soulmates for sure, she had no doubt about that. 

A decent sized house approached them as they drove through a quiet suburban neighbourhood. It stood in a corner, wedged between a single spotless white house. The lawn was perfectly trimmed and rose bushes grew around the perimeter, the bright pink and red flowers were a perfect fit for the pastel pink colour of the house itself. The car pulled into the small driveway and Pearl fiddled with a small remote and the garage door slowly opened. The woman ushered everyone out of the vehicle before backing into the room with the door swinging shut after her. 

Steven produced a key from his coat pocket and inserted it into the lock. The three stepped inside and were immediately met by a rush of warmth. The smell of freshly baked bread wafted into their noses over from the kitchen as well as what smelt like some sort of soup. Peridot felt her mouth water and tried not to make it so obvious that she was so hungry. Steven wandered off in the direction of the living room. A rather loud meow came from the room moments after and Steven giggled. Amethyst took Peridots arm and guided her up towards the second floor of the house. The staircase was fairly large and the stairs themselves were carpeted in a soft lush cream colour. Peridot didn't even have time to take off her shoes before she found herself standing in Amethysts quirky yet messy room. 

It was a dark room. Even though tiny beads of sunlight shone through her window, a shadow seemed to fall over the mess. The carpet was a dark purple that matched well with the covers strewn halfway off the bed. A desk sat by the window littered with papers and an open sketchbook filled with useless stick figure doodles. Her laptop was perched dangerously on a pile of clothing and surrounded by bottles of drink Pearl hadn't gotten to yet. It was a mess, sure. But it was Amethyst. 

Peridot sat on the bed and slipped off her shoes, kicking them towards the door. Then she sighed loudly and leant back to be consumed by the mountain of soft blankets. Amethyst smiled fondly and sat beside her. 

"Sorry about mentioning Lapis again" she said. Peridot smiled up at her and hummed that it was okay. "Its just so easy to tease you I couldn't help it!" She added cheekily and was rewarded by a pillow colliding with her face. 

The two sat and chatted for a while. Amethyst asked how life at home was. Peridot avoided answering the question fully. Because yes! Of course she'd been eating properly. And no, she didn't need to use Amethysts shower, she washed yesterday and that was good enough for her. And then the dreaded topic came. 

Soulmates. 

It had never really been a touchy subject. Peridot just didn't think she had one, mostly because of lack of evidence although she had found a few suspicious flecks or paint or a dot of ink she couldnt quite get off her skin. But that wasn't enough to convince her. On the other hand, Amethyst loved to talk about her potential soulmate and though it was nice to see her friend so enthusiastic it was still a little annoying. 

"Hey Peri" Amethyst was laying on the floor with her head resting in a pile of laundry. Her hair was sprawled out messily on the carpet. Peridot hummed from her position on the bed. 

"Do you think like...Lapis is your soulmate?"

Peridot shot up. Fuck, she hadnt thought about that. At least, not it detail. But there wasn't enough evidence. She'd have known straight away if they were soulmates, right. 

"No, I doubt it" she replied and her voice cracked on the last few words. 

"You sure 'bout that? You're head over heels for her!"

Peridit hummed absently and stuck her hands in her pockets. Her fingers brushed against paper. She froze and slowly pulled out the number, staring at it with wide eyes. Could Lapis be my soulmate? She wondered. She'd given Peridot her number. Surely this meant something....right?

"Hey what's that?" Anethyst snatched the paper out of her hands before she could hide it. She straightened out the paper and Peridot saw her eyes scan it. And then widen. "Holy shit 'dot this is a phone number isn't it??!?"

"Uhh yeah?" Peridots face flushed.

"Who gave you their number? I need to thank them!" Anethyst laughed.

"Lapis did".

Amethyst threw the paper back at her with a loud yell of triumph "and you tell me she's not your soulmate! Dude!! Have you texted her yet?"

"No, I havent had the time to" Peridot took out her phone and opened up her contact list. 

"Text her right now!! She's probably waiting for you" Amethyst jumped onto the bed and watched as Peridot carefully thumbed in the number on the paper. "Hurry up".

"Fuck off I don't want to get it wrong" she snapped back. 

Once the number had been added to her phone she opened up her messages and hovered reluctantly over the keyboard. What would she say? Oh god she didn't think this through. 

"Just tell her its you. Start off simple" Amethyst stated. 

Okay. That was easy enough:  
-  
Me: Hey it's Peridot! Sorry if I kept you waiting Amethyst is being a bitch but whats new I suppose   
-  
"Fuck you" Amethyst said as she read the text over her shoulder. The small smile on her tanned face portrayed that she was not mad at all. 

"Amethyst, Peridot, dinners ready!" Pearls voice made both of them jump. 

Peridot pocketed her phone and followed her friend towards the dining room. She didn't notice her phone go off, too preoccupied by Amethyst awful jokes and Pearls tales of the past.  
-  
Lapis: hello!! Wow i didnt think you'd actually reply to be honest! 

Lapis: tell amethyst i said hi ;)  
-


	16. Act 2 - Scene 6: Please Forgive Me

The sun peaked through the thick layer of clouds in the sky, brightening up the dull streets. Lapis walked along the pathway leading towards school, her hands buried deep in the pockets of her windbreaker, earphones in and some indie band blasting into her ears at full volume. Her usual neutral expression was softer, her lips quirked upwards, the bags under her eyes just a bit lighter. There seemed to be a spring in her step as she walked onto campus. It was a fairly bright Friday morning, the sun was finally showing itself after weeks and weeks of nothing but rain and icy breezes that held the threat of oncoming snow and the change in weather, as little as it was, did wonders in lifting Lapis' mood. 

Another significant factor to Lapis' smile was the fact that after giving Peridot her number, the two had been able to talk a lot more regularly. They usually talked for hours until Lapis managed to convince Peridot to sleep or vice versa. She knew even more about Peridot than she ever thought she would. The blonde nerd was very into conspiracy theories and anything to do with cryptids or ghosts. She enjoyed reading graphic novels and watching old cartoons. Astronomy was a hobby of hers as well, which pleased Lapis to no end. 

Lapis had begun to realise that she was falling for Peridot even harder than before. And Jasper was beginning to get suspicious. Lapis could feel her eyes on the back of her head or scanning her face whever she was with Peridot. Her hazel eyes were cold, calculating but also held another emotion Lapis couldn't quite pinpoint.

The blue haired girl stopped walking to take out her earphones and slip them into her pockets as she entered the main building and wandered over to her first period lesson. Science.  Great. The ascension up the stairs was slow and all energy Lapis had had previously had dissipated. Her hand clutched onto the railing as she climbed and when she got to the top, she stood silently at the back of the huddle of students. The bell went off shortly after and the huddle started to flow into the classroom. Lapis managed to slip in relatively unnoticed. A few heads turned in her direction when she almost tripped over a chair that hadn't been placed under the desk properly but no one really seemed to care too much this early in the morning. 

Her desk had a strange grey-ish stain on it and she tried to shuffle away from it as she sat down and got out her stuff. So far she hadn't seen Jasper walk in and a part of her hoped that she wasnt in today. Just so she could rest for a day. 

Unfortunately that hope was shattered immediately afterwards as said girl walked confidently into the classroom and to her seat. Her sharp eyes ran over Lapis and her lips quirked down into a small frown. Her long thick hair was pulled back into a badly done ponytail today, and it hung over one muscular shoulder which rippled as she moved. She sat at her usual seat with her back to Lapis and stayed that way until the end of the lesson. 

It was only when a good majority of the class had vanished and the teacher had run off to grab some more coffee before secobd period started did Jasper confront Lapis. She blocked the door with her wide frame and looked down at Lapis with an expression the blue haired girl couldn't read. All Lapis knew was that she was being trapped against her will again and that she needed to get out. Fast. She tried to duck under her arm but Jasper shifted her hips so that she couldn't pass. 

"Lapis please, let me talk to you" she grumbled in her gravelly voice. 

"You're talking to me right now"

"Don't be a bitch" Jasper growled, clenching her fists. She saw Lapis flinch a little and sighed deeply, loudly. Her fists slowly unclenched and she let herself relax. 

"Hurry up or I'm gonna be late for Maths" Lapis spat back, not in the mood for this at all. 

Jasper sighed again although this time it was an irritated one. She softened her expression, her body language shifting so she looked less threatening infront of the smaller girl. Her eyes closed. "Look. I'm really sorry for what I did last year. I really am" Lapis froze up a little and Jasper could feel the anxiety radiating off her body. The blue haired girl still wasn't over what had happened. Jasper could understand that. But apologising was definitely a step in the right direction. "I know things probably wont go back to the way they were back then. But could we at least...talk about this over a coffee of something?"

The second bell went off and Lapis' eyes widened. She managed to wriggle her way past Jasper and bolt down the stairs before she'd even opened her mouth to give an answer. Jasper groaned and slowly followed her down the stairs. She was late to English. 

Lapis' head swam as she stumbled over to the far end of campus where the maths block was located. She felt hot tears prick at the corners of her eyes and frantically rubbed them away before she entered the classroom. Fortunately the lesson hadn't started yet so she slipped in relatively unseen and propped her head in one hand as she stared at the whiteboard covered in boring equations. She'd never been good at maths, it just never stuck with her. She was struggling with the current work, trigonometry was a bitch, but she didn't have to guts to raise her hand and ask for help. 

Peridot on the other hand, exceeded at maths. She was in the top set and had no problem with any of the work given to her. She was a very academic person in contrast to Lapis who liked more practical work and hated writing. A few times she'd texted Peridot, asking if she could help with some maths problems she couldn't quite figure out. And sometimes Peridot would try and text out an explanation, other times she'd send her a link websites that could explain the solution with diagrams and silly animations. But on the rare occasion Peridot would ask to video chat and Lapis would watch Peridot, who always seemed to look half asleep but insisted she wasn't tired, go over the questions one by one and help her. 

The blonde was becoming a bigger part of her life now and Lapis felt the butterflies in her stomach become more and more frequent whenever she was around the girl. There was also a strange sensation in her arm. A tingling that felt as if her arm were numb, but it actually wasnt. At first Lapis had just shrugged it off. Maybe she'd slept on her arm funny. Maybe it was something to do with circulation. Now she was beginning to suspect something was up. A single thought had crossed her mind multiple times but each time she'd quickly dismissed it. Peridot probably didn't even like her like that. There was no way. 

Maths seemed to drag on painfully slowly. The demonstrations on the board made Lapis' brain turn to mush. She could barely keep her eyes open at this point, too tired to think sbout maths, and too distracted by what Jasper had said. The bully had seemed pretty serious about her apology but Lapis knew she needed to be cautious. When they were together Jasper had put on the innocent act whenever they'd gotten into fights and had always managed to pull Lapis back towards her. Maybe this was another ploy to get her back. Well, it certainly wasnt going to work this time! 

Becuase she had someone now. Someone to ground her. To make sure she didn't go back to what she'd had with Jasper before. It hadn't been right. It had hurt them both. Now she had Peridot. Helpful, sweet, adorable Peridot. Honestly she couldn't ask for a better friend. Thinking about the blonde made her heart beat faster and her lips twitch upwards into a goofy smile. She was so lucky. She hoped Peridot felt the same way about her. Little did she know that those dumb thoughts would change her life forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be the Act 2 finale as well as.....the Big Reveal(TM)


	17. Act 2 - Scene 7: Spillage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this is gonna be very underwhelming but here ya go !

Peridot didn't appreciate the slightly warmer weather. Not one bit. Especially when she had stepped out of her house decked in her favourite hoodie and black jeans. The heat wasn't too bad, practically nonexistent, but she could still feel the sweat gathering under the thick fabric of her hoodie. She cursed under her breath and hoped sweat patches wouldn't start to form. 

As the day went on the weather grew worse. By break time the sky had once again grown dark and the slight morning breeze had turned more aggressive. Her blonde locks whipped around her face as she walked, her eyes narrowed against the wind. With hands buried deep into her pockets to avoid the chill she wished she had longer legs so that she could get to her destination faster. The building creaked in the wind, the sturdy wooden foundations, old and worn, would never collapse but the noise still startled the blonde as she entered. With her heart beating a mile a minute and the looming thought of the building collapsing on her, Peridot scampered in deeper, dodging the legs of annoying students sitting in the hallways as she passed them.  

The door between her and the room where she knew Lapis Lazuli would be in was heavy and she opened it with her shoulder and stumbled in. Beautiful grey eyes met her own and the girl on the other side of the room smiled widely and beckoned her over. She sat opposite her at the table and took out the sandwich she'd made in a hurry twenty minutes before she had to rush to school. It was a bit sloppy but still edible. Lapis laughed as she tried to catch a piece of fallen lettuce in her mouth. 

"So how's your day been?" Peridot asked after a particularly long silence. She could sense something was up with Lapis but knew the blue haired girl would need sone prompting before she spilled what was on her mind. She took another bite of her sandwich. 

Lapis, who didn't have any food but was staring hopelessly at the couple on the table next to theirs, eating pastries and laughing happily. She sighed and turned to look at Peridot. Her smile was still there but her eyes were sad, worried. She looked stressed. "Jasper confronted me in science today" she said, her voice unsure of itself. "She-she wanted to apologise for what she did to me" Her voice trailed off.

"Aaand thats good, right?" Peridot offered.

Lapis shrugged. "I mean, I guess? I'm not sure. It could be another one of her tricks".

"Well" Peridot said through a mouthful of bread. "You don't have to forgive her right away. I know what she did to you was disgusting but living your entire life hating her wont make things better either. If she wants to apologise and make things better, then I say let her. But do it at your own pace. Don't hurt yourself".

"Thanks, that means a lot".

The blonde hummed "I know first hand how awful she can be" her face darkened for a second before her expression changed into a more neutral one. "But horrible people can change too". 

Lapis nodded. "I guess so". She didn't press on about what Peridot had said about Jasper, and for that the blonde was grateful. She'd tell Lapis when she was ready.

"How was second period? You had maths, right?"

Lapis groaned and buried her face in her hands. Peridot tried not to laugh at her friend but failed. Lapis shot her a dirty look before speaking "dont remind me, Peri. It was shit I couldn't stop thinking about what Jasper said and yo- uhh I mean and some other less significant things". Her cheeks turned a little red. 

"What are studying right now?"

"Trig" 

"Oh that makes sense" Peridot cackled and dodged Lapis' light attempts of hitting her. 

"Not everyone can be as good at everything as you are" the blue haired girl grumbled. 

Peridot snorted. "Im not good at everything, Lapis" she rolled her eyes and adjusted her glasses "because for starters, I know youre infinitely better at swimming then I am. I can barely do it". 

"Oh. Well I could always teach you if you want" Lapis suggested.

"Oh. Um. I'll think about it".

Third period went by fairly quickly. Peridot had scurried off after the bell had gone and went straight to intervention. A short kid with trembling hands and cropped brown hair was sitting at her table. She smiled and slipped into the seat opposite him. 

Fourth period was history and Peridot was glad to see Lapis again. They sat together and talked as they worked. Peridot found out Lapis was actually pretty well read when it came to the topic they were studying. She was impressed. Throughout the hour, Amethyst had come to apologise to Lapis, who had accepted it with a smile and Peridot felt herself relax knowing there would be no tension between her friends any tine soon. Occasionally Amethyst would turn around to ask the pair a question, or to give them suggestive looks and wiggle her eyebrows. Telling Amethyst about her crush was the biggest mistake she couldve made.

The warmth in her cheeks only died down when the bell had rung and the three had walked as a group towards the canteen. Lapis broke off to grab some food and left Amethyst and Peridot to claim their table at the back. The chubby girl sat next to her with her old black backpack sitting on the seat to her left. 

"Heey Peri" she drawled and Peridot internally sighed as she prepared herself for another round of teasing.

"What is it, Ame?" 

The shorter girl snickered. "Just wanted to remind you to please invite me to your wedding" her eyes flicked over to Lapis, who was paying for a hefty slice of pizza. 

"Fuck you Amethys-"

"Hey nerds what'cha talking about?" 

Lapis swooped in and saved the day, carrying her gigantic slice of cheese pizza in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. Peridot could sense Amethyst trying not to laugh from beside her and felt her face grow warmer and warmer. 

"You okay there Peri? You look a little sweaty" Lapis commented. 

Amethyst guffawed and Peridot wished the ground would swallow her up. Lapis threw her a small reassuring smile and Pefidot felt a little better. 

"So" Amethyst stretched and absently started thumbing through her phone, trying to break the silence that had settled after Lapis had started eating. "Got any weekend plans?" 

Lapis and Peridot exchanged looks. Then the blue haired girl spoke up "I've been piling up my homework assignments so I figured I'd finally get to them" she shrugged. Peridot nodded.

"Im just gonna play video games, probably".

"Is your mother home this weekend?" Amethyst asked, looking up from her phone to glance at Peridot. 

"Yup" the blonde sighed, she looked more annoyed than happy "I can't wait for two whole days of her obsessive nagging. At least it means I wont have to eat takeout for the third time this week".

"She nags because she cares about you, Peri". 

"Mmm yeah sure".

Lapis looked on wordlessly, unsure of what to say on the matter. Peridot didn't really talk about her family so she figured she wouldn't make the blonde more uncomfortable than she already looked. 

"Pfft whatever. At least you don't live with Pearl" Amethyst countered and Peridot snorted. 

"She nags becuase she cares about you" Peridot said through her laughter, mocking Amethysts words. 

For a brief second Lapis wondered if they were soulmates. And then Peridot turned back to face her, her freckled face lighting up as Lapis smiled back. Amethyst, who looked mildly offended by Peridots words wiggled her eyebrows again then went back to whatever she was doing on her phone. 

By the time fifth period rolled around, Peridot was exhausted. She climbed up to the top floor with Lapis in tow, embarrassingly out of breath. Miss Opal was sitting at her desk, one leg resting over the other, leant forward to look at her computer screen. She glanced down at the keyboard and started rapidly typing. 

Peridot heaved her sketchbook onto her desk and opened it up to a new page. Her coursework was going along nicely, she excelled at the writing half put the practical half was starting to stress her out. Peridot couldn't paint for shit. She figured she could just wing it if she became too desperate, try to convince the examiners that its just some elaborate piece with a deeper meaning. 

The lesson started soon after and the class was instructed to get on with their own projects and to call on Miss Opal if they needed anything. All at once the group of students darted towards the drawers located at the sides of the classroom and started digging around for what they needed. She watched Lapis walk over to the far end and grab some paints, then bring them back and arrange them in some sort of order. Then she dug around her bag and produced some good quality brushes. Peridot was honestly impressed at how oganised Lapis was. The girl knew a lot about the schools shitty art supplies. 

Peridot started to do her own thing for a bit. Something that didn't involve her touching any sort of paints because she knew it was hell to clean up and wash off her hands. She sketched absently, trying to figure out what she'd create for her final project. So far she'd only drawn a little stick figure. She was not an artist. 

Meanwhile Lapis was trying to open the orange paint but the lid seemed to be jammed. She twisted it, carefully at first becuase she too knew of the potential paint explosion that would take place if not opened with care. But then her hand started aching and she grew more and more impatient. With a grunt, she set the bottle under her armpit and tugged at the lid with all the strength she could muster. The cap flew off and bounced off her desk. Orange paint leaked out covering her hands and part of the desk, narrowly missing her work. She cursed and set the paint down before grabbing something to clean the paint up with. She passed by Peridots desk frantically swearing under her breath. 

The blonde glanced at her, then at the paint dripping over her desk. She kept watching as Lapis and a few helpful students started to help clean it up. She stood up to go help, half because she wanted to help Lapis and half because she didn't want to do her work. But she froze before she could arrive at her destination. 

Her hands had been clean a minute ago. She had not touched any paint. There was no paint anywhere near her person or desk. And yet, her tiny shaking hands were covered in orange paint. Well, it was beginning to fade a little as Lapis had gone over to the sinks to wash her own but- 

And then it dawned on her. Her chest constricted, she suddenly forgot how to breathe. Her heart beat fast. Her hands clenched into fists, she felt like she was going to cry, out of happiness or shock she wasnt sure. 

A girl she didn't know too well turned to look at her, concern obvious in her expression. Then she too looked down at her orange hands and gasped happily. She rest a hand on Peridots shoulder and the blonde blinked in surprise as she called Lapis' name. The blue haired girl paused in her washing at the mention of her name and looked over. The girl lifted one of Peridots hand. Peridot gulped. 

At first Lapis looked unsure. There were like two other students helping her clean the paint it didn't mean anything. Unless.... Lapis rushed over to Peridot and grabbed some different coloured paint. With a anxious heart she dipped her finger into it and almost immediately Peridots finger turned the same colour. 

There was silence. Neither knew what to do or how to feel. They just stared at their hands. To Peridot it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She finally knew who her soulmate was. And she knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Lapis. She was also a little salty that Amethyst had practically called it but that wasn't important right now. Lapis was immensely happy, she was glad her soulmate wasn't going to be someone like Jasper. She was relieved that Peridot was the one she was destined to be with. But she was also scared. Terrified of the future and what was to come.

The bell startled them out of their shock. Peridot quickly helped Lapis clean up then rushed off with a quick 'bye'. She walked home as slowly as possible, her mind going back over the events of the day. She was nervous about what this now meant. She was excited to see where this would lead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [END OF ACT 2]


	18. Intermission II part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Platonic amedot for the soul

She was both surprised and horrified when she saw Jasper standing in the crowd of students, fresh out of middle school and ready to take on the first day of highschool. Jasper spotted her almost straight away, her hungry hazel eyes and her shark-like smile made Peridot quiver. The tiny blonde stood at the edge of the group and tried to not squirm under the hard stare of the girl she really didn't want to see right now. The teacher in charge of the little group ushered them into a tall building and then into a seperate room with blue floors. 

Soon enough a timetable was given to her and she studied it in a corner whilst the rest of the students socialised. She could feel the never leaving presence of Jasper lingering by her. She tried not to think about her. How she'd known the taller girl would be following her to highschool but had been in denial all summer. She knew she could get away with anything, she knew Peridot was too much of a coward to do anything. Jaspers family had always been close to her own, her mother often treated the brute like her own daughter. There was no escape from this. There was no escape from her. 

Jaspers bullying had started off quite tame. She liked to intimidate people with her size, and it had often worked. But Jasper had known Peridot much longer than she'd known any other student, which was why she was such an easy target. Her size made it so she couldn't fight back. Her anxious nature made it so she was scared to tell anyone due to the consequences it may have and how Jasper would react. She was sure that Jasper also knew this. The tall girl never got physical, she mostly liked to intimidate and insult. Although there were some time when she had gotten physical, which increased in the future when she started dating Lapis, it had never gotten too out of hand. It was still bullying and it still hurt Peridot more than she'd like to admit. 

The group stayed in the room for a little longer, and Peridot stayed curled up with her bag resting in her lap. The bell soon went off and the crowd dispersed. Peridot wandered out of the building holding her timetable in shaking hands. Her first lesson was physics. She had no idea which direction the science block was in and opted to follow another group of students who were muttering about the same subject. They found the classroom fairly quickly and once Peridot confirmed that it was in fact, where she was meant to be, she scurried inside and sat in the nearest seat she could find. 

Jasper walked in moments after. Peridot gulped and tried not to make eye contact. She shrunk in her seat, hoping that Jasper wouldnt see her. The brute strode past her. Just when Peridot thought she could celebrate, Jasper stopped, spun around on her heel and stared straight into Peridots eyes. The blonde was frozen in place. She felt sick as Jasper smiled and sat on the seat across from her own. No one else in the room seemed to feel the tension. 

Books were given out once the entire class was there. They were a dark red colour and Peridot tried her best to write her name as neatly as possible on the front. It was hard when she could feel Jaspers eyes on her. Her hands shook and she had to stop writing because her name was slowly becoming incomprehensible. She felt Jaspers eyes dart down at her hands and then leave her form altogether as she picked up her pen, which was dwarfed in her own large palms, and started scribbling information down. Peridot felt her shoulders relax. 

She hated herself for getting roped into Jaspers little games. She hated how much the taller girl scared her. She hated how her own mother praised her for her athletic abilities and decent grades. She felt so, so tired. Tired of being terrified of Jasper. She wanted it to stop. But she didn't know how. 

By the time break rolled around, Peridot managed to get out of the classroom before anyone else. She wasnt too familiar with the building just yet but once she found an exit she bolted towards the stretch of grass adjacent and hid behind a tree. The dirt was cold and uncomfortable under her trembling form but she sighed, out of breath from her hasty escape, and leant back. 

"Hey there" the blonde jumped, head spinning to lock eyes with a girl even tinier than herself. 

"Oh..uh. Hi" once over the initial shock of another person communicating with her she threw her a halfhearted wave and an unsure smile that she hoped seemed friendly.

Peridot had seen this girl around school often enough. She had been in her secobd period class but the blonde hadn't bothered to learn her name. She seemed friendly enough, Peridot recalled her being loud and very talkative in class. She wasn't sure why she was talking to a nerd like her though. 

The girl laughed. Peridot liked her laugh. 

"You're pretty funny" she said. Peridot didn't know what was funny about her. "I'm Amethyst by the way" she smiled and held out a hand. Peridot shook it timidly. 

"Peridot". 

Amethysts dark eyes lit up and she laughed again "we're both named after gems? Thats wild". 

"Yeah I guess it is". 

Amethyst dumped her bags beside Peridots and then crouched down to sit with her under the tree. Peridot shuffled over so she wouldn't have to sit in the dirt. 

"Soo Peri, can I call you that?" Peridot looked unsure but nodded anyways "sweet. So I saw you running out of second period. You seemed a bit troubled" Amethyst looked serious. Peridot wasn't sure why- they'd just met. 

"Oh. I was just excited for break... y'know" she tried to justify her actions but Amethyst wasnt convinced.

"Tell me the real reason or I'll steal your lunch and eat it infront of you" she threatened with a smile on her tanned face. 

"Bold of you to assume I have a packed lunch" Peridot heard herself joke back. 

"I saw the glint of tinfoil when you opened your bag, you cant hide it from me" Amethyst jokingly crept towards her bag and slowly unzipped it. Peridot smacked her hand away.

"Okay fine. But only because you wont shut up about it...not becuase of the whole eating my lunch thing".

"Mmhm".

And Peridot spilled the beans. She told her about Jasper. About what she did, what she threatened to do. Amethyst listened quietly, thoughtfully. Her attention was fully on the little quivering blonde before her. And when Peridot had finished, she was silent for a few more moments before she opened her mouth to give her advice. 

"I think you should tell someone about this. It doesn't have to be your parents, or Jaspers parents. Just someone who holds a decent amount of power and can help you if anything bad happens". 

Peridot looked unsure. She didn't want Jasper to find out. "But if I tell someone then surely they'd end up telling my mother. And then Jasper would find out and-"

The smaller girl shushed her and placed a warm palm on her trembling shoulder "if you want you can tell my guardians. I'm sure Garnet would be happy to help!" 

"I barely know who you are".

"So? We're friends now aren't we?"

"Yeah I guess" Peridot leant into her touch. She felt herself relax. 

"Then its okay!! We should totally hang out! You can tell me more about this Jasper bitch and we can figure out a solution together".

Peridot looked down at her in shock. She froze for a second "and you're not doing this out of pity?"

"Do I look like the type of person who would do that?" Amethyst asked wuth a raised brow. 

"I dunno" Peridot mumbled, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

Amethyst sighed "if you don't want my help or my friendship then I can just go..."

"What? No! Please stay" Peridots tiny hands clasped onto the sleeve of her jacket before Amethyst could even think about moving. "Im just...not sure why you're talking to me...you seem to get along with everyone so why me?"

"Because you seem like the most genuine out of all of them" Amethysts smile dropped "if that makes sense? I dont know". 

"Oh. Well thanks anyways". 

"No problem, p-dot". 

Peridot smiled. It felt liked a weight had been lifted off her chest as the realisation that someone was there for her settled in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey I know this is a little late but this fic now has some amazing fanart that I figured I'd share!!!
> 
> The first is [this](https://tricktolife.tumblr.com/post/175921906725/just-as-promised-in-anon-surprise) adorable sketch dump submitted to me by gay-princess-natioli!!
> 
> And [this](https://justburrito.tumblr.com/post/176004350715/fanart-for-the-saltwater-room-tricktolife) amazing piece by Justburrito!! Go check them out, they're a talented artist!!


	19. Intermission II part 2

With Amethyst by her side, the soul crushing anxiety of being around Jasper seemed to lesson more and more. As the weeks turned into months, she grew closer and closer to the smaller girl. And she could tell it was annoying Jasper. Whenever she was with Amethyst Jasper always seemed unsure on how to interat with Peridot. She put on a fake smile that didn't reach her eyes and tried not to show her frustration in her clenched fists and furrowed brows. 

Peridot realised that being with Amethyst was safer but also made it more dangerous when she was alone. The blonde knew she couldn't stick with her friend forever. And when Jasper saw that she was alone she would strike. She could see the tension building up in her wide shoulders. Jasper was getting frustrated. 

One day she walked into class and sat down clumsily at Peridots table. Her hazel eyes grazed dangerously over Amethyst before meeting with Peridots green ones. She picked at something in her teeth almost absent mindedly, and then flicked it onto the carpet. 

"I have a girlfriend now" she declared. 

Peridot immedietly felt sorry for the girl. She glanced over to her friend who shrugged in response. 

"Who is she?"

"Just some girl a few years older" she stated. Peridot felt a little sick but said nothing. 

A week or so later she came back with a black eye and declared that they'd officially broken uo. Peridot wasn't surprised in the slightest but offered her condolences just to get on the taller girls good side. Jasper brushed them off and rubbed at her swollen eye. She seemed pissed to say the least. And Peridot decided to take extra caution that day. 

At some point Peridot ended up going round Amethysts house and meeting with Garnet. Amethyst house wasnt like her own at all. The garden was well kept compared to the overgrown weeds on Peridots. She was greeted with warm smiles and ushered in quickly to avoid the chill. Amethysts house was warm but her family was even warmer. Pearl had taken her coat and shoes as soon as she'd taken them off and Steven immedietly ran up to her and greeted her with his signature smile as soon as he'd heard the unfamiliar voice. For once in her life Peridot felt at peace. 

She met Garnet too that day. Garnet was a tall dark skinned woman who wore shades inside. Peridot wasn't sure why that was but she was too scared to ask. The woman spoke in a thick British accent and although she rarely showed emotion held a maternal air to her. She crouched down to Peridots height and rest a hand on her shoulder. Peridot noticed a ring on one of her fingers.

"Amethyst tells me you're having troubles with a bully?" She asked. 

Peridot shot Amethyst a dirty look but nodded towards the woman, defeated. Garnets lips lifted up into a smile and she stood up to her full height once again, dwarfing both girls. She took Peridot to her office, a small room that stood beside what Peridot figured was her bedroom. It was cosy with dark carpets and a desk with a monitor at one end and a sofa on the other. She sat Peridot down on the sofa and the blonde felt herself sink into the plush fabric. The woman sat at her desk chair and spun it around to face Peridot. Peridot wondered if Garnet was some sort of therapist. 

Her voice was smooth and warm as she asked questions which Peridot answered easily enough. Oh, this wasnt so bad. Maybe Amethyst was right about asking for help from Garnet-

"How did you get that bruise on your arm?" She asked and Peridot shuddered. 

Jasper had gotten more and more violent with her. She wasnt sure why- perhaps she was having troubles at home or with a relationship. All she knew was that she had said the wrong thing at the wrong time and earned a hard punch to the arm for it. But suddenly Peridot was scared to tell Garbet that. So she lied. 

"Oh. I fell down the stairs this morning because I was running late for school and missed a step" she rubbed at her arm and hoped Garnet would fall for it. 

She didn't look convinced but nodded and moved on.

When she left the room Amethyst was standing outside, hand poised to knock. She stepped back as the door swung open and Peridot emerged. 

"How was it?" She asked. 

"It was okay. I feel a bit better now, thanks". 

"Thats good" Amethyst smiled and then she snapped her fingers and knocked on the door. Garnet poked her head out. 

"Pearl told me to tell you that dinners ready and she wants you both downstairs". 

They ate and chatted and Peridot couldn't help but feel happy and calm. 

It was a chilly January afternoon when it happened. Peridot had arrived late to school becuase she'd slept in late after staying up waiting for the new episode of Camp Pining Hearts to air so she could stream it. She had walked into the classroom looking drained and pasty. She sat next to Jasper absently and the girl gave her a hostile glare. When the teacher was done going over the work, Jasper leant towards her. 

"I heard you snitched". 

This immedietly woke Peridot up. Her eyes darted around the room before finally falling on Jasper. She hoped she didn't look as scared as she felt. 

"W...What are you talking about? You know I wouldn't snitch" she stammered, trying to look offended that Jasper would even consider her doing that. 

Jasper sneered, unconvinced. "I got word that you talked to someone. And I don't know who it was but what I do know is that you're going to pay for it"

"I didn't snitch" Peridot hissed back desperately. 

Jasper turned away and the unsettling feeling of anxiety began to grow in Peridots chest. 

By the time it was lunch, Peridot was a shaking stammering mess. She told Amethyst that something bad was going to happen and she needed help. Amethyst waved her off and told her Jasper was probably just bluffing. She was not. 

Her last period lesson was with Jasper and Peridot hastily planned her escape. She had told Amethyst to meet her by the gate because she knew Jasper wouldnt hurt her with someone else so close by. Amethyst had offered her a ride home. Peridot was so grateful she almost cried. 

Last period dragged on and Peridot felt herself grow more anxious as the clock ticked down the minutes before the bell went off and she had to make a run for it. She could feel Jaspers eyes on the back of her head and tried not to flinch. She tried to distract herself with work but the possible scenarios of her plan going wrong plagued her mind. There were so many things that could go wrong. 

The bell went off and Peridot shot up from her seat and threw her books into her bag. From the corner of her eye she could see Jasper glaring at her. Her large form towered over a good majority of the students. Peridots heartbeat accelerated. She zipped up her bag and threw it over her shoulder before bolting out of the classroom and taking the stairs down to the first floor two at a time. Jasper growled and followed her. The taller girls superior athletic abilities riveled Peridots own. As soon her her green converse hit the floor she was out of the building in a flash. 

Peridot had made the mistake of slowing down. With her heart still thudding painfully in her chest and her lungs on the brink of collapsing she had slowed to a light jog towards the gates. Then she felt Jaspers presence grow nearer. She wasnt giving up as easily as Peridot had thought. She jogged a little faster towards where Amethyst would be. Jasper increased her pace. Peridot was forced to sprint through the gates and turn a sharp left towards her house. Jasper followed easily. 

She ran as fast as her short legs could carry her. She crossed roads without thinking, she tripped over curbs but still she was ahead of Jasper. She wondered if she'd be safe in her house. Her mother wasn't home so probably not. Peridot figured hiding until Jasper gave up was the best option. 

So she bolted towards the wooded area near the back of her house. 

Jasper was catching up, she could hear her controlled breathing. With her arms pumping as fast as they could and gasping for breath, Peridot made it into the woods. She had to get as deep as possible. Maybe then she could hide in the brush and Jasper would give up and leave. Her eyes darted frantically around for somewhere to hide. There were several large bushes to the right so she turned and headed towards them. She looked back and saw Jasper right behind her. She let out a yelp which then turned into a scream as she tripped and fell. 

She couldn't see what was going on but what she did know was that she was falling. Falling down something....big. She could feel her limp body hit the dirt, her glasses had flown off at some point too. She hit something sharp as she finally landed and groaned quietly. Her body was numb, her head swam. Her leg felt...weird. 

Jasper yelled something she couldn't quite hear as everything faded to black.


	20. Intermission II part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The long awaited final part of the intermission is here!!! Ft. A pov change

The flash of blonde and green as Peridot sped past made Amethyst take a few steps backwards. She clasped  the straps of her bag and watched as Peridot's form grew smaller and smaller as she ran off into the distance. Another flash. The rough bump as a shoulder collided with her side, making her stumble and almost loose her balance. Thick bleached hair pulled back by the wind and the force at which she was running. Jasper. Her arms pumped angrily as she ran, her face pulled into a deep frown. She followed closely behind Peridot, worryingly so. Amethyst gulped, anxiety tugging at her chest as Peridot rounded a corner sharply out of her sight. She heard Japer growl and follow.

Okay so their plan had failed spectacularly. In fact, it had crashed and burned before anything really happened. Though she had to admit, Peridot had been stupid to think she could outrun Jasper in any sense. Her little blonde friend wasn't exactly the most athletic person in the world. She hoped she could get out of this unscathed. 

A car horn brought Amethyst out of her deep anxious thoughts. She jumped a little at the sudden noise, her anxiety skyrocketing. Then she spun around and sighed as she met Pearls icy gaze. The pale woman smiled at her and beckoned her into the car. Amethyst slipped inside and set her bag on the seat beside her. She put on her seatbelt and glanced out of the window. Pearl pulled back onto the road.

"Wasn't Peridot meant to be with you? Did she change her mind about the lift back?" Pearl asked and she leant forward in an attempt to look at the traffic behind her.

"Oh shit" Pearl gave her a disapproving look but said nothing because of the look of pure dread that was on Amethysts face at that moment. "Hey do you think we could drive by Peri's house? I need to check she's okay". Pearl nodded and turned towards the blondes house. 

"So" Pearl mused as they waiting at a red light. Amethyst started fidgeting, her anxiety growing more and more the longer they had to wait. She looked up to meet eyes with Pearl in the mirror. She saw Pearl's lips tilt down into a frown. "What's going on, Amethyst?"

Amethyst played with the strings on her hoodie. "You remember Jasper, right?" Pearl nodded, taking her eyes off the road to briefly look at Amethyst again. "She's been pestering Peridot again and its gotten....." she trailed off and breathed out through her nose "bad". 

They drove the rest of the way in a cold mutual silence that hung in the air uncomfortably. Both were worried about the dorky blonde. Both were scared as to what they'd find. The sky was grey and a blanket of mist had settled overhead as the car pulled into Peridots driveway. The first thing Amethyst noticed was that Peridots mothers sleek black car wasn't there. Peridot had never really revealed much about her home life, she could tell the taller liked to keep to herself. But Amethyst knew she was regularly left home alone and that made it easier for Jasper. She walked up the pathway and glanced sadly at the overgrown grass and dead flowers of what once had been a beautiful garden. The door was made of old wood and painted a dark yellow colour. Amethyst knocked on the door as loudly as she could, hoping Peridot could hear from wherever she was most likely hiding. 

No answer.

Amethyst tried again, this time more frantically. Nothing. She looked back at Pearl who shrugged. She hopped off the doorstep and started wading through the overgrown plants. They ticked her legs as she walked but she ignored it. The anxiety was starting to overwhelm her. She pressed her face against the cold glass of the window. The curtains were drawn. The house was dark. No sign of life. 

"She's not in there" Amethyst called back to Pearl. A lump began to form in her throat as all she slunked back into the car, defeated.

Then a figure came out of the wooded area behind her house. She looked frantic and sweaty, her eyes wild and scared. She made a beeline for the car and Pearl rest her foot on the gas so that they could make a quick getaway. But before they could move the figure moved into the light and Amethyst recognised her almost immediately.

"It's Jasper" she growled.

Amethyst slid out of the car and ignored Pearl's worried comments as Jasper finally caught up to them. She was breathing heavily, beads of sweat falling from her face. Her hazel eyes looked wild and panicked. Amethyst had never seen her look like this before. Her heart skipped a beat when she realised Peridot was still nowhere in sight. 

"W..where's Peridot?" amethyst asked.

Jasper swallowed thickly, her face twisting into an expression of guilt. Then she turned and paced back into the woods. Amethyst and Pearl exchanged worried glances but trailed silently behind the brute. They weaved through the trees until they came across a fairly large dip in the ground. Jasper stood at the edge, hand against the thick trunk of a tree, leaning against it and looking down with an epxression of fear. Amethyst edged closer, wading through the brush and leaning over to peer over the rocky edge. 

Below the ground seemed to be covered in bracken and thick weeds. Sharp stones lined the edge of the dip, other smaller rocks littered the moist ground. There was a hint of red on one of the rocks. As Amethyst studied it everything came crashing down. 

She spun around to face Jasper, who looked like she was about to throw up. "What did you do" Amethyst snarled, tears picking in the corners of her eyes. She heard Pearl mutter something about calling an ambulance but the smaller girl was too set on the bully infront of her to care. 

Jasper stuttured, her hands held in front of her body defensively. She took several steps back. "I-im sorry... Im so sorry-i didn't know" anxiety radiated off her form. Amethyst couldn't blame her for that.

"Is there a way we can get down there?" Amethyst asked. She glanced back down and say a leg peeking out from the brush. It twitched. There was a faint groan of pain coming from the bushes. Peridot was okay. For now.

"I think it slopes down over to the left" Jasper mumbled back. 

"Okay I'm going down. Pearl, stay up here and wait for help. Jasper. Do whatever I don't care". Amethyst rounded the tiny cliff until she saw the gradual slope of mud. She bounded down it and pushed her way through the undergrowth until she reached Peridots still form.

The blonde looked paler. Blood trailed down her face from a wound on her forehead. One of her legs was twisted under her body. Blood seeped from her jeans. She could see the dirt already caked into the wound from the blondes struggles to get up. Amethyst carefully pulled her friends limp body out of the brush and into the open. 

By the time help arrived and Peridot was well on her way to the hospital, Jasper had fled. Amethyst wasnt sure what happened to her after that. The brute had once been loud and confident but afterwards she seemed to be more reserved. She figured the guilt had gotten to Jasper. She was glad to see she hadn't bothered Peridot to the extent she had before. 

That day the doctors had had to amputate Peridots leg. And that day Amethyst had let Peridot cry in her arms until she fell asleep. After that day Peridot was never the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [END OF INTERMISSION II]


End file.
